The biggest decision by EU leaders at their Spring summit in Brussels was indecision as they shelved their embattled constitution for at least two years.
Instead the focus will be on boosting the economies of the 25 member nations and improving immigration controls.
A year-long reflection period has failed to break a deadlock over whether to abandon the constitution or persuade France and the Netherlands, whose voters rejected the document, to hold new referendums.
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Fifteen other EU states have already ratified the document, meant to allow the EU to better take in new members by streamlining decision making. The constitution needs unanimous backing for it to take effect.
Anthony Browne, The Times Belgium Correspondent, said: “The constitution was badly killed off by French and Dutch voters last year.
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“The trouble is that no government can agree on a way forward - whether to resuscitate it, come up with a new treaty or drop the idea in total.
“If you can not reach a decision you often have no choice but to delay it. Leaders are at such loggerheads about the right way forward they have just kicked it into the long grass.”
Tony Blair said at the summit: “This will also allow us to talk to our own people about what they want out of Europe.
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“I think what citizens of Europe want is to concentrate on the bread and butter key issues - about the economy, about illegal immigration, about security - that really worry them.”
Leaders stressed that the decision did not mean the EU would rule out further expansion to the western Balkans and possibly to Ukraine.
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A 100 million euro aid package for Palestinians that will by-pass the Hamas-led government was also endorsed by EU leaders in the final day of the two day summit.
The plan provoked angry criticism from the militant group.
“This is regrettable,” said Youssef Rizka, Hamas information minister, who said that the Europeans had bowed to American pressure to follow a hostile policy that aimed to divide Palestinians.
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The EU is by far the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians - giving some 500 million euros a year - but it froze some of those funds in April after Hamas swept to power.
This has meant government employees, including teachers, health workers, police and security personnel, have not been paid in three months, and there have been angry demonstrations in the Palestinian territories..
Only health workers are specifically mentioned in the EU package as being eligible for handouts, but the financing mechanism will also make direct bank transfers to the accounts of needy families.