. It was reported in November 2011, that for months, Schäuble had been fighting against the EU Commission‘s plans to penalize countries with large surpluses.[11] The finance minister‘s persistence was crowned with success. „Schäuble … got what he wanted.“ In a declaration on November 6, the Commission gave in and conceded to Berlin that „unlike deficits,“ „major and persistent surpluses will not lead to sanctions.“ Today, Berlin can let the EU norms, it had created during the crisis, work as alleged practical constraints, to its own advantage. Brussels‘ regulations function as the transmission belt for German supremacy within the euro zone.