@Walter Hinteler,
Walter, we've had a long dialogue about the EU, and in part the issue at hand is a related matter. In its several stages of development going back to Schumann's Coal and Steel Community, the European experiment has been remarkably successful in dealing with issues of mutual interests among a steadily growing community of nations. In part a key element of that unprecedented success has been the evasion of related issues of sovereignty in favor of collective agreement on a rapidly growing collection of standard policies and practices, ranging from free trade to free movement of people, standard trade and industrial practices, and finally a common currency. As a byproduct of all this, the structure is growing in complexity with some nations in or out of this or that part of the structure (or for those who wish to view it differently, one involving multiple distinct structures or agreements, for the movement of people, monetary currence, free trade, etc.)
It is simply inevitable that ultimately more and more serious issues of sovereignty have to be faced. Indeed the issue of collective oversight of national budget and fiscal policies is on the table now - a byproduct of the Eurozone crisis. This aspect of the Euro issue was initially evaded by the implementation of the Stability Pact limiting deficit spending by the member states. That later seemed (in good economic times) a bit superfluous to member states which later abandoned the restrictions - and here we are. (Like everything in life, it is all clear, ... but only in retrospect.)
The continuing struggles over core sovereignty issues within the EU are likely to be both difficult and uncertain in outcome. However they are much more the natural consequence of the success achieved so far, than they are indicators of a fundamental flaw in the goal.
