The political risk to the euro zone's austerity-first policy approach has been all the greater because there is little hard evidence yet to demonstrate it works.
Yet with Slovakia hoping to win an invitation to EMU in April-May this year, the take-it-or-leave-it approach to the euro-zone membership in east-central Europe may give way to a much greater sense of urgency.
Up to now, the Internet has been a light-touch regulatory zone, and free-market advocates have argued that its success depends on an approach that is largely hands-off.