The European Union

GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748632985');The European Union is a distinctive creation. There have been several examples of countries that have forged links in ventures of mutual benefit, but in aim, method and achievement this union has gone much further than the others.From the beginning, the EU has always been more than just a customs union. It has aimed for an ever closer union of its peoples and has developed supranational institutions with powers binding upon its members. Since its creation in 1993 it has also grown in size and in the extent of its responsibilities. Integration and intergovernmentalism have been the two forces at work in the evolution of the Community into the Union of 27 members today.In this volume the author sets out to provide an authoritative study of the EU, which clearly explains how it functions and makes it intelligible to a wide readership.Key FeaturesUp-to-date and comprehensive coverage of key aspects, including history and developments, institutions, politics and policy processesIncludes an analysis of the role and attitudes of the member statesInformation is clearly and accessibly presentedWill appeal to students and also to professionals working in European Union agencies and organisationsContains maps, boxes, tables, glossaries of key terms and a guide to further reading"

The European Union is one of the world's most complex political systems: this makes it a challenge to study. To the uninitiated its institutions seem remote, its remit unclear, its operations difficult to understand and its outputs sometimes perplexing. It combines some attributes of a state with those of an international organisation, yet it closely resembles neither. Its development is shaped by an increasing number of players, including 25 member governments, multiple common EU institutions, clusters of experts, private interests and citizen groups. All converge to influence what the EU is