Assuming that is right, expect to see a big increase in appeals to the one bit of the European machine where unanimity will remain the rule: the European Council, which gathers together the 27 national leaders of the EU. Under Lisbon the European Council is to gain a semi-permanent president, to replace the system of rotating presidencies.

ECONOMIST: The EU after the Irish vote

The first task may come next week, when European leaders choose candidates for the two top jobs being created by Lisbon: the president of the European Council and a beefed-up high representative for foreign policy.

ECONOMIST: Europe's leadership

Lisbon is silent on the question of how the council president and high representative will avoid getting in each other's way.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Mr Mato Adrover accused the Council of a "corrupt application of the Lisbon Treaty".

BBC: Debate on fisheries

The EEAS has been created by the Lisbon Treaty to combine the foreign and diplomatic services of the Commission, Council, as well as certain elements of national foreign embassies.

BBC: Baroness Ashton criticised over EU 'diplomatic service'

If Lisbon comes into force, the parliament will be the equal of the council in almost all EU legislation, gaining new rights over, for example, farm subsidies, fisheries, asylum and immigration.

ECONOMIST: The EU after the Irish vote

The proposal for a citizens' initiative was contained in the Lisbon Treaty and has been the subject of negotiations in recent weeks between the Commission, Council and European Parliament.

BBC: Citizens' initiative debate

However Denmark's Europe Minister Nicolai Wammen, representing the Council, repeated the position that "the proposals on anchovy stocks are not in line with the Lisbon Treaty", and said there had been no further discussions.

BBC: Debate on fisheries

The Lisbon treaty is a bit hazy about what the president is to do, beyond organising summit meetings of the European Council and representing the EU in meetings with world leaders.

ECONOMIST: The EU after the Irish vote