Contributor(s): Dr Javier Solana, Professor Robert Cooper | The EU and the Eurozone have been hit by the strongest crisis in their history. Southern Europe, particularly, has been suffering from its effects. After the happy years of integration at the end of the last century, for some Southern European citizens, the EU has come to feel more like a burden than a blessing. The European project is thus facing stark challenges: economic, social and political. The time has come for resolute action by policymakers and for positive engagement by Europe’s politicians in order to embark on a more constructive path. This public lecture will mark the official launch of the LSE IDEAS Southern Europe International Affairs Programme. Javier Solana is president of ESADE Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics (Barcelona-Madrid). He is also distinguished fellow in foreign policy at Brookings Institution, chairman of the Aspen Institute España, member of the board of the International Crisis Group, and the European Council on Foreign Relations. Robert Cooper is a visiting professor at LSE IDEAS.