The Routledge Guide to the European Union

Written by experts, this long-established, fully revised and definitive guide to the workings of the European Union provides comprehensive, straightforward and readable coverage of this sometimes misunderstood and complex institution.

Written by experts, this long-established and definitive guide to the workings of the European Union provides comprehensive, straightforward and readable coverage of this sometimes misunderstood and complex institution.

This fully revised second edition explains not only what happens but why, analysing the EU's strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for it to be more effective. With the EU's very existence under pressure due to Euroscepticism, continued crises with migration and borders, the re-emergence of the far right, and renewed great power competition in Europe and the world, it specifically outlines:

• How the EU has evolved over the last 70 years
• How it works: the institutions, the mechanisms
• Every area of EU competence from agriculture to defence
• The effects of the single market, a single currency and the successes and stresses of the eurozone
• The impact of the enlargement of the EU, prospects for further enlargement and closer political integration
• Reforming the EU's decision-making and defending the rule of law

• The EU's place in an ever more disorderly world The Routledge Guide to the European Union is well-established as the clearest and most comprehensive guide to how the EU operates. This new edition brings you up to date at a crucial stage in its history, at a time when it has never been under greater internal and external threat, but conversely is perhaps more important than ever.

  Autorentext

  Ian Bond is the Deputy Director of the Centre for European Reform (CER) and was previously a member of the British diplomatic service for 28 years.

Dick Leonard was a journalist, author and former Labour MP.

Robert Taylor was a journalist and foreign correspondent, covering the European Union for more than 30 years.

Inhalt

Introduction Part 1: The background 1. The origins 2. Evolution, 1958-2008 3. Growing pains, growing strains, 2008-2014 4. The years of permacrisis, 2015- Part 2: The treaties, the institutions, how the EU is financed and how decisions are taken 5. The treaties 6. The European Commission 7. The European External Action Service 8. The Council of the European Union 9. The European Council 10. The European Parliament 11. The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 12. The Court of Justice of the European Union 13. The European Court of Auditors 14. The European Central Bank 15. The European Investment Bank 16. Other EU agencies and bodies 17. Staffing the EU: Facts, figures and costs 18. Financing the EU - How it's paid for and what it pays for 19. Decision-making procedures in the EU Part 3: The competences 20. The customs union and trade 21. The internal or single market 22. Research and innovation 23. Competition policy 24. Industrial policy 25. Economic and monetary policy 26. Taxation 27. Agriculture 28. Fisheries 29. Regional policy and cohesion 30. Workers' rights, employment and social policy 31. Energy and climate change 32. The environment 33. Transport 34. Justice and home affairs - The area of freedom, security and justice 35. Fundamental rights 36. Gender equality 37. Education 38. Culture and media 39. Citizenship and symbols 40. Consumer protection 41. Health 42. Development co-operation and humanitarian assistance 43. Neighbourhood policy 44. Foreign, security and defence policy 45. Defence industry and space Part 4: Challenges ahead 46. Enlargement 47. 'Ever closer union' 48. The rule of law 49. Migration and demography 50. The EU's place in the world