Can the power to regulate markets socially and politically be regained? Two features of the EU make it appear suitable for the social democratic project: (1) all member countries practise elements of social democracy, even if to varying degrees; (2) the community possesses political institutions (Parliament, commission, court of justice, council, central bank) that can be used to make a policy of positive integration a success. With the help of these, it would be possible to remove the deficits that have emerged from the negative integrotion followed till now.