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The European Union, initially called the European Economic Community, was born after World War II out of determination to avoid another catastrophic war on the European continent. Six countries - Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg - signed the founding Treaty of Rome in 1957

peer-reviewed ; Democratization has suddenly become a fashionable theme in both the practice and the study of European integration.1 Since the Treaty on European Union (TEU) of 1991, which both raised the profile of the integration process and substantially extended the scope of powers enjoyed by the European Union (EU; the Union), the Union has become far more controversial. Received wisdom dictates that it suffers from a (generally unspecified) 'democratic deficit', which was scarcely noticed beforehand. Paradoxically, however, in the last decade several attempts to render the EU more democratic have actually been made, a good example being the significant empowerment of the European Parliament (EP). Moreover, the TEU made member-state nationals EU citizens, an unprecedented step in world history, even if EU citizenship remains rather limited. Indeed, the EU is preparing for both further enlargement and the next round of Treaty reform (due in 2004) by launching a process of 'civil dialogue' and a quasi-constitutional convention. These are supposed to provide suggestions about increasing the legitimacy and democratic credentials of the Union system.

Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1 -- The European Union: Current Challenges and Future Prospects( -- Summary -- Overview -- Evolution of the European Integration Project and Internal Dynamics -- The Past as Prologue -- Inherent Differences and Persistent Tensions -- The Current Political and Economic Context -- Ongoing Economic Difficulties -- Rise of Anti-EU or "Euroskeptic" Political Parties -- Lack of Strong Leadership and Strategic Vision -- Increased Acrimony and Decreased Solidarity -- Simultaneous Challenges -- The Greece Crisis6 -- Migratory Pressures9 -- The UK Referendum14

While there are many textbooks about the European Union (EU), Clive Archer covers the essential elements of the EU clearly and concisely, outlining the key debates and issues it faces today.

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.