The Lisbon Treaty was clearly designed to both streamline and centralise decision making within the EU, or the more cynical would see it as nothing other than a power grab.

"The EU philosophy, as you are so keen to remind us, is for ever-closer integration. Fracturing of states works directly against that."
For a well educated scientist you appear sadly misinformed.
Small is easy, big is difficult. Simple analogy for simple minds:
a one tonne crane lift can be dealt with utilising various different pieces of machinery. A one hundred ton lift requires a dedicated crane.
Coercion can be easily applied to small administrative units, not so easily to Nation States.

I hope you can now grasp the very simple concept that Teribus outlined for you.