The treaties allow a considerable degree of flexibility and much can be done without needing to amend them. Of course, it is perfectly possible to write all kinds of provisions into the treaties, but amending them is a lengthy and cumbersome procedure needing the unanimous agreement of every single member government and ratification according to each country's own constitutional procedures.
The European Union involves constant dialogue on many subjects among Member States, but only occasionally does this require an amendment to the treaties. Overall, EU competences concern subjects on which Member States have by common agreement -- duly ratified by each of them -- decided that it is in our collective best interests to work together, because of our interdependence or because of economies of scale or because of the leverage that it brings at world level. If I look at our modern globalised world, I do not see any of those factors diminishing.
All Member States can, and do, have particular requests and needs that are always taken into consideration as part of our deliberations. I do not expect any Member State to seek to undermine the fundamentals of our cooperative system in Europe. The EU, like any political system and every level of government, has its faults and can make mistakes. Our common challenge is to correct any mistakes, and ensure that they do not happen again in the future. We have to focus on the essence and not on the details or particular incidents.
Full interview
See also 'David Cameron's moves could make EU fall apart, says Herman Van Rompuy', 27.12.12 © The Guardian
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