Abstract
The European Union’s (EU) mode of operating has changed significantly since the Maastricht Treaty. Citizens are now more sceptical and Member States are more reluctant to cede power to the EU. Enlargement to 27 members has made high-level dealings more cumbersome, and new treaty arrangements — the Lisbon Treaty in particular — have enhanced the importance of intergovernmental decision-making. Because of all this, the EU is likely to be slow in making important choices and its decisions are more likely to reflect the lowest common denominator of diverse Member State positions.