The European Commission is very much at the heart of the European Union. Its large number of responsibilities and variety of roles make it the institution which is most readily identified with the Union's many different activities. Aiming to make a contribution to furthering understandings of the Commission, this book brings together a broad range of different perspectives, looking at all aspects from recruitment to policy making, from the Commission's history to its future prospects.

The European Commission is very much at the heart of the European Union. Its wide variety of roles make it the institution most readily identified with the Union's many different activities. Surprisingly, relatively little has been written about this vital European institution. This book makes a major contribution to furthering understanding of the Commission. A broad range of different perspectives based on new research cover all aspects of its nature and functioning.

The crises of the European Union extend beyond the challenges of Covid-19, Brexit, the Eurozone, and mass migration, cutting to the core of the EU itself. Taking a structural rather than event-based approach, this text unpacks all aspects of the EU in crisis and analyses the implications of these crises for the EU and its member states. This edition argues that crises and challenges are no longer unique and discreet events facing the EU, but rather, they are better understood as sustained conditions that have changed the relationships between member states, the functioning of institutions, the nature of public engagement and the prospects for integration. Chapters broach institutional issues as well as specific policy challenges, covering questions of legitimacy and leadership and offering a full chapter on democracy and Euroscepticism. Working within both historical and theoretical frameworks, this is the perfect companion for those studying and researching contemporary challenges facing the EU, European integration, political crisis management and transboundary crises more broadly.

This is a student text for the study of politics and government in the European Community. The book begins by introducing the origins and historical development of the Community and then progresses to provide an analysis of the powers, influence and functioning of its principal institutions and political actors as well as analysing the European Communities major policy interests and processes.

The crises of the European Union extend beyond the challenges of Covid-19, Brexit, the Eurozone, and mass migration, cutting to the core of the EU itself. Taking a structural rather than event-based approach, this text unpacks all aspects of the EU in crisis and analyses the implications of these crises for the EU and its member states. This edition argues that crises and challenges are no longer unique and discreet events facing the EU, but rather, they are better understood as sustained conditions that have changed the relationships between member states, the functioning of institutions, the nature of public engagement and the prospects for integration. Chapters broach institutional issues as well as specific policy challenges, covering questions of legitimacy and leadership and offering a full chapter on democracy and Euroscepticism. Working within both historical and theoretical frameworks, this is the perfect companion for those studying and researching contemporary challenges facing the EU, European integration, political crisis management and transboundary crises more broadly.

The definitive textbook on EU politics and governance, now in its 8th edition, has been thoroughly updated to take into account the ongoing developments and evolution of the EU. Major changes, recent developments, and the crises that have befallen the union in recent times are analysed within this context. This includes eurozone crisis, the migration crisis, and the UK's decision to leave the EU. Acclaimed author and academic Neill Nugent has written a comprehensive text, enabling students with no prior knowledge of the EU to master the subject. By detailing the historical evolution of European integration, Nugent gives the necessary context to his exhaustive analysis of policies, process, institutions and treaties. This has grown to include two new chapters on Member State Relations and Interest Representation. The final section considers concepts and theories with EU studies, providing a succinct, accessible introduction to theory, which can be read as standalone chapters. With a new structure to increase readability and packed with numerous pedagogical features - document excerpts, case studies, maps figures - and supported by a fully stocked companion website with resources for both students and lecturers, this text is an essential for students new to EU studies. This new edition offers: - New chapters on Member State relations and interest representation - Updates on all main institutions, policies and processes - Authoritative coverage of the main institutions, policies and processes of the EU - Redesigned textbook with even more pedagogical features - New companion website including updates, data resources, PowerPoint slides and test questions

The European Union (EU) is in crisis. The crisis extends beyond Brexit, the fluctuating fortunes of the eurozone and the challenge of mass migration. It cuts to the core of the EU itself. Trust is eroding; power is shifting; politics are toxic; disillusionment is widespread; and solidarity has frayed. In this major new text leading academics come together to unpack all dimensions of the EU in crisis, and to analyse its implications for the EU, its member states and the ongoing study of European integration.

The European Commission is at the very heart of the European integration process and, with the Council, is one of the two central institutions of the European Union. Its activist role under Jacques Delors led to a dramatic increase in its activity and influence and contributed to a crisis of confidence in its effectiveness and its lack of adequate financial controls which culminated in the resignation of the entire Commission under Jacques Santer in 1999. What progress has the Commission made in addressing these issues under Romano Prodi? What are its prospects in face of the new challenges of Eastward enlargement? How great is its influence and how does this vary according to issues and circumstances? What are the implications of its hybrid character as a political and administrative body? How much has the Commission changed over time and how much - and how - does it need to change now? Written by a leading authority and author of the best-selling introductory text on the EU, this major new text provides the definitive introduction to, and assessment of the Commission, its evolution, composition, organisation, character, functioning and role. Comprehensive, up to date and based on extensive original research it will be essential reading for students of European integration; politicians, policy makers and functionaries; and anyone with a serious interest in the European Union, its current character and future prospects.

The European Commission is at the very heart of the European integration process and, with the Council, is one of the two central institutions of the European Union. Its activist role under Jacques Delors led to a dramatic increase in its activity and influence and contributed to a crisis of confidence in its effectiveness and its lack of adequate financial controls which culminated in the resignation of the entire Commission under Jacques Santer in 1999. What progress has the Commission made in addressing these issues under Romano Prodi? What are its prospects in face of the new challenges of Eastward enlargement? How great is its influence and how does this vary according to issues and circumstances? What are the implications of its hybrid character as a political and administrative body? How much has the Commission changed over time and how much - and how - does it need to change now? Written by a leading authority and author of the best-selling introductory text on the EU, this major new text provides the definitive introduction to, and assessment of the Commission, its evolution, composition, organisation, character, functioning and role. Comprehensive, up to date and based on extensive original research it will be essential reading for students of European integration; politicians, policy makers and functionaries; and anyone with a serious interest in the European Union, its current character and future prospects.

The dynamic and complex system of European Union policymaking is analysed in this new edition of a much-praised textbook. It offers the most integrated understanding of EU policy available. Major approaches to policymaking - including intergovernmentalism, neofunctionalism, supranationalism and critical theory - are presented and supplemented with the authors' own theoretical model, federal integration, to create a comprehensive evaluation of the EU's interests and actors in key policy domains. The text covers the EU's main policy areas - including those on the single market, Economic and Monetary Union, foreign policy, migration and border control, social and regional policies, and the budget - locating them in this wider theoretical framework. As such, it is the key introduction to the subject for students of European Politics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. New to this Edition: - Each chapter rewritten, many extensively, throughout - New chapters on migration and border control, competition policy, and social and cohesion policies. - New illustrative material and many new examples - Each chapter now includes a Guide to Further Reading Accompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/policies-and-policy-processes-of-the-european-union. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost

The leading text in its field, The Government and Politics of the European Union offers a clear and comprehensive explanation of the historical development and ongoing evolution of the European Union (EU). As in previous editions, this sixth edition presents an account and analysis of the origins of the Union, the key treaties, the main institutions and political actors, and the EU's policies and policy processes. The book, in short, explains where the EU has come from, what it now does, and how it does it. There have been many developments within the European Union since the last edition of this volume. In May 2004, the EU increased in size from fifteen to twenty-five member states, and, in so doing, became a pan-European, rather than Western European, organization. The following month, national leaders reached agreement on the contents of the long-discussed and exhaustively negotiated Constitutional Treaty only to see the fruits of their labors rejected in 2005 by voters in France and the Netherlands. These are only the most obvious manifestations of a constantly evolving integration process addressed throughout the book. Every chapter has been extensively revised since the last edition. The Government and Politics of the European Union also includes reflections on the conceptual and theoretical tools used to analyze the integration process and the EU, as well as on the factors likely to influence the Union's future development.

This book provides a broad-ranging assessment of the Court's contribution to the integration process. It shows how the Court has taken advantage of opportunities when they have arisen in the European political process to "constitutionalize" the founding treaties and to exert a strong influence on policy decisions. It also examines challenges confronting the European Union and examines why the Court's active role has not encountered greater opposition and analyzes the implications for the Court of current issues.