From its original six members (who formed the European Economic Community in 1957) what became the European Union had grown to 27 members in 2007, with several more candidates for membership standing in the wings. This long-established definitive guide to the workings of the EU provides comprehensive coverage of: how it works, the institutions and the mechanisms; every area of EU competence from agriculture to workers' rights, the effects of the single market and the single currency and the successes and stresses of the euro zone; the implications of the Lisbon treaty; the impact of the enlargement of the EU and the prospects for further enlargement and for closer political integration. The 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 development following parliamentary elections and a new Commission taking over in 2009.

Author Biography

Dick Leonard has been writing on European issues for over some 30 years for The Economist, the Observer, Europe magazine, European Voice and leading newspapers across the world. He is a former Senior Adviser to the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels and a former MP for Romford. He lives in Brussels.