dp, Thats exactly what we had under JAA (which worked fine in my mind) but under EASA we do not have this option. Under JAA the national authorities were responsible for licencing with there own ANO etc but fitting into the JAA framework.
Under EASA we now have a European aviation authority that will have a european ANO and issue a European licence. It is because EASA are the licencing authority now and they have declared there will be no national differences that we have the issue.
We have signed our rights away completely.