Al the written above, is actually affirming that the main enemies for the EU stability are the individual countries that are part of it. All the main reforms that have been proposed in the EU in the last years have been opposed effectively, anl left without meaning because of the influence and votes of the representatives of countries that whose interests were damaged by them.

Being that reasonable, the truth is that we can no longer be taking decissions this way, it would be like approving the budget of the USA and its distribution into a commision formed by the States. They would never come to an agreement. Polititians are prone to priorize their electors to the national/comunal interest.

Europe is an area whose differences in many aspects come from times when a country (subject to a "king" or "independent Warlord") was as long as his horse (and sword) could reach in a day.
There are Alsace and Lorraine, which are franco-german areas, there is the former West and East Germany both very different from each other, Ireland, and the stolen part, Northern Ireland, the northern areas of Italy (swiss influence), the isle of Corcega (don't know the name in English), Marseilles, Bretagne, in France, the flamish an valois areas in Belgium, ..., shall I go on?

We are spliteed in so many small pieces forced to fit in countries, that a country as the EU would be could be what we really need. Also, this way, the powerful national lobbies would become area lobbies (much smaller) or industry lobbies, or social lobbies, like in the USA.

The only government who is really doing the best for Europe is the Commitee of the EU (When they are allowed by the countries).

Long live to Prodi and his team.