尽管之前，在2011年12月的欧盟首脑会议上它否决了一项由欧元区国家提出的创建“财政联盟”计划，它在欧洲关键外交政策上的影响与其以前的传统领导地位相比正在逐渐减弱。
Even before it vetoed a plan by eurozone countries to create a “fiscal union” at the European summit in December 2011, it was playing less of a leadership role than it traditionally has on key European foreign-policy issues.