Dismiss The Alarmists, EU Won't Disintegrate

August 15 marked Napoleon's 250th birthday. Doomsayers used that anniversary to compare the failure of his pan-European empire to the current state of the EU. But we believe that the comparisons with and predictions of the demise of the European Union completely miss the point of where today's EU stands. Without question, the EU has its problems, including a stifling bureaucracy and policies that suffocate growth and innovation. However, missed in most criticisms of the EU and predictions about its future is the consideration of its significant net benefits that will make it survive longer than many critics currently believe.