So here we all are, us Europeans, with a new leader of Europe and a new foreign Minister to represent us to the world. The Lisbon Treaty ratified by all member nations. The task is complete. The job is done. Europe exists as one nation. Some of us didn't get a say in the matter (I am a UK citizen made a European citizen without being offered any choice in the matter). Too late to worry about that now, now only to consider the consequences and plan accordingly.

For example, Europe will want it's own armed forces... more accurately it will want control of the armed forces of all member nations, and it will get that in time. How? Sneakily, of course. Perhaps the creation of a new military force drawn from all nations to perform police actions similar to the situation within the UN; then a small war (probably in Africa, somewhere innocuous but with significance on the world stage) which, while successful, will point out the flaws in that system, thus necessitation further centralisation of Europes combined military.

France and the UK have nuclear weapons, and Europe will want control of those, too. How long before it gets what it wants? Some years. How long before Europe becomes a fully democratic entity? Never. Of course. Once you have power without accountability you don't give it up. Why would you?