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World regions can be understood as a stage between national and global social policy as new places for generating social security. In this study, this thesis is analysed empirically and innovatively in terms of concept from a sociological point of view. Based on the triangulation of various theoretical approaches, it develops a theory of humane world regions, raising the social profile of the EU and ASEAN to an unprecedented level. It presents the social objectives, social sector and social regulation of each world region from a longitudinal perspective (EU: 1952 to 2010; ASEAN: 1980 to 2010). The foundations of its data are based on world regional legal acts (n = 1620), contracts and annual reports, which are evaluated qualitatively and analytically. The EU is a world region with a binding social profile, while ASEAN has established a non-binding social profile.

The issue of competence division is of fundamental importance as it reflects the'power bargain'struck between the Member States and their Union, determining the limits of the authority of the EU as well as the limits of the authority of the Member States. It defines the nature of the EU as a polity, as well as the identity of the Member States. After over six years since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it is high time to take stock of whether the reforms that were adopted to make the Union's system of division of competences between the EU Member States clearer, more coherent, and better at containing European integration, have been successful. This book asks whether'the competence problem'has finally been solved. Given the fundamental importance of this question, this publication will be of interest to a wide audience, from constitutional and substantive EU law scholars to practitioners in the EU institutions and EU legal practice more generally.

Today, many people agree that the EU lacks solidarity and needs a social dimension. This debate is not new, but until now the notion of a'social Europe'remained vague and elusive. To make progress, we need a coherent conception of the reasons behind, and the agenda for, not a'social Europe', but a new idea: a European Social Union. We must motivate, define, and demarcate an appropriate notion of European solidarity. We must also understand the legal and political obstacles, and how these can be tacked. In short, we need unequivocal answers to questions of why, what, and how: on that basis, we can define a clear-cut normative and institutional concept. That is the remit of this book: it provides an in-depth interdisciplinary examination of the rationale and the feasibility of a European Social Union. Outstanding scholars and top-level practitioners reflect on obstacles and solutions, from an economic, social, philosophical, legal, and political perspective.

By examining the implementation dynamics of EU Readmission Agreements (EURAs), this book addresses the practical reasons why irregular immigrants cannot be expelled. EURAs are one of the vital legal instruments framing EU external migration law with regard to the expulsion of irregular immigrants, yet their implementation has met with various obstacles. Above all, the process of determining an individual's legal identity has proven to be one of the most controversial aspects in the implementation of EURAs.The analysis shows that the process of identifying who is whose national in the context of readmission creates two existential dilemmas: first from the perspective of the sovereignty of third countries of origin and the legal standards laid out in international instruments as regards states'powers in determining nationality, and second regarding the agency of the individual as a holder of fundamental human rights. How do the EURAs deal with or aim at alleviating these identity determination dilemmas? The book provides a comparative analysis of the administrative procedures and rules envisaged by EURAs aimed at proving or presuming the nationality of the persons to be readmitted to their country of origin. It focuses on the ways in which nationality is to be determined or presumed in the scope of the 2010 EURA with Pakistan, and compares it with those foreseen in the EURAs with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cape Verde, Georgia, and Turkey. As such, the book provides a unique and up-to-date study of EURAs and their implementation challenges in the broader context of EU external migration law and policy.

The Netherlands is once again at the helm of the EU in the spring of 2016. This volume brings together contributions on topics related to the Dutch Presidency Agenda 2016 from a number of scholars who are affiliated with Leiden University. Each of the authors reflects on elements and developments in EU law and policy that will be important to the EU agenda in the coming months from their own background or perspective. The volume offers unique contemporary, academic, and interdisciplinary insights on the functioning of the EU for national and European policy- and decision-makers. [Subject: Constitutional Law, Politics, International Relations, European Law]

Die Arbeit ist eine interdisziplinäre Studie über die Rolle der nationalen Gleichbehandlungsstellen (GBS) und des Europäischen Netzes der GBS in Europa. Sie gibt Aufschluss über den Zusammenhang zwischen der Vernetzung der GBS und der Europäisierung im Bereich der Förderung der Gleichstellung. Die Entwicklung eines gemeinsamen Ansatzes zur Förderung der Gleichstellung in der EU ist auf zwei Arten möglich – durch Rechtsharmonisierung und Europäisierung. Mit Hilfe der Untersuchung der Ostseeregion kann gezeigt werden, dass die nationalen GBS und deren Vernetzung zur Europäisierung in der Gleichstellungsförderung führen können. Die Forschungsarbeit trägt dazu bei, eine bedeutende Lücke in der wissenschaftlichen Debatte über die GBS zu schließen und treibt die Debatte über Politiknetzwerke in der EU voran. Darüber hinaus wird belegt, dass der einzigartige Charakter der GBS und deren Vernetzung einen erheblichen Beitrag zu der Entwicklung fragmentierter, nationaler Ansätze hin zu einem gemeinsamen europäischen Konzept für die Gleichstellungsförderung liefern.

Scientists who cooperated in producing this volume wrote on topics important to the European society nowadays and in the past. The result is an interesting insight into a number of diverse issues, ranging from the problems national parliaments in the European Union are facing, with case studies from Central and Eastern Europe, to the way the EU uses the possibilities opened up by information technologies in building a better communication with the citizens of the member states. Further topics are the relations between the EU and the Republic of China, the work of the British envoy in Poland in the 1920s, as well as the legal problem of transgender and transsexualism.

Covering the history, governing institutions, and policies of the EU, McCormick and Olsen argue that the EU is one of the world's economic and political superpowers, has brought far-reaching changes to the lives of Europeans, and has helped its member states to take a newly assertive role on the global stage. Unlike most other books on the EU, this text pays particular attention to the implications of the EU for the United States. Thoroughly revised and updated, with many new tables, figures, and boxes, the fifth edition takes into account developments in the debate about the character and significance of the EU, changes to the structure of EU institutions, the implications of the 2004 and 2007 enlargements, the Lisbon Treaty, the origins and nature of the crisis in the eurozone, and key policy developments.

The European Union is in crisis. Public unease with the project, Euro problems and dysfunctional institutions give rise to the real danger that the European Union will become increasing irrelevant just as its member states face more and more challenges of a globalised world. Jean-Claude Piris, a leading figure in the conception and drafting of the EU's legal structures, tackles the issues head on with a sense of urgency and with candour. The book works through the options available in light of the economic and political climate, assessing their effectiveness. By so doing, the author reaches the (for some) radical conclusion that the solution is to permit'two-speed'development: allowing an inner core to move towards closer economic and political union, which will protect the Union as a whole. Compelling, critical and current, this book is essential reading for all those interested in the future of Europe.

This is a collection of works which considers the many different facets of the EU's increasingly important engagement with the world beyond its borders. The Treaty of Lisbon marked a change in the powers and competences endowed on the EU - the contributions to this collection consider both the direct and indirect impact of the Treaty on the contemporary state of EU external relations. The authors are drawn from legal, political science and international relations disciplines and consider innovations or changes brought about by the Treaty itself: the European External Action Service, the roles of the High Representative and President, the collapse of the ‘pillar'structure and new competences such as those for foreign investment. Other chapters cover developments which reflect the latest incremental changes upon which the post-Lisbon Treaty arrangements have some bearing, including the COREU network, the transatlantic and neighbourhood relations and the external dimension of ‘internal'security. Useful for academics working in the field of EU external relations law and foreign policy, as well as the EU law/politics/European studies market more generally.

This book presents current research in the study of the European Union (EU). Topics discussed include European Union enlargement and Turkey's accession negotiations; maritime policy and economic performance in the European Union; The Lisbon Treat and the EU's reform process; European parliament and climate change and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

The book contains 24 contributions from European law scholars and practitioners analysing the constitutional basis of the European Union and the normative orientation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) as well as the central economic and monetary provisions (TFEU) after the Reform Treaty of Lisbon. Presenting the findings of a European research team, which is composed of authors from eight Member States, the publication underlines the aspiration of the editors to thoroughly analyse the constitutional law of the European Union currently in force.

This brief and accessible introduction to the European Union is ideal for scholars and professionals in government, business, the media, or the nonprofit sector who need a concise overview of the structure, history, and policies of the EU. This new edition also provides useful background reading for advanced high school and college courses and for those planning overseas study, work, or research. Andreas Staab offers basic terms and interpretive frameworks for understanding the evolution of the EU; the ov.

This book presents and discusses contemporary political and economic studies of all aspects of the European Union. In addition, the book also publishes chapters in area studies and comparative politics of Europe. Topics discussed herein include the European Union; inflation in EMU countries; foreign investment capital in Poland; the media profile of Anti-EU groups; lobbying EU institutions; and the euro exchange rate.

The European Union (EU) has gone through a number of treaty reforms since the establishment of the European Communities in the 1950s and the creation of the European Union by the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. The latest such reform is the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force in 2009. In this book, a number of scholars explore the process of producing the Lisbon Treaty. The focus is on the role of member states, arguably the ‘masters of the treaty.'Intergovernmental conferences have become the main setting for treaty reforms since the Single European Act (SEA) in the mid-1980s. This makes national preferences and inter-state bargaining important when new treaties are negotiated. The Lisbon Treaty delineates a number of institutional changes. In the end the product has to be evaluated against the standards established at the outset. Will the treaty improve the efficiency, democratic legitimacy as well as the coherence of the Union's external action, as the member states claimed it would? While the final text of the treaty leaves the EU with some new institutional possibilities, it also has its limitations, especially in the area of foreign and security policy.

The EU has long played a central role in promoting economic prosperity and political stability in Europe. With twenty-seven countries, it is a powerful trade negotiator and is seen by many as a growing force for global security and welfare. But does the EU giant have feet of clay? Is it recognized as a legitimate political and social project by its own citizens? How well does it respond to global challenges, such as environmental degradation and terrorism? How successful is it in projecting its image as a promoter of human rights, of conflict prevention, social justice, development cooperation, environmental protection and multilateralism? This volume contributes to the debate about the changing face of Europe and the way it works, not just internally, but also with the rest of the world. It first explores the merits of fostering inclusive multicultural citizenship and religious pluralism in Europe, the necessity of reinventing the EU from below, and the urgency of addressing EU internal migration problems. It then examines the new role of the EU in world politics and how other countries view it in terms of hard and soft power. Can the EU inspire by its development aid, conflict prevention, social and audiovisual policies? How efficient is it in exporting security to the rest of the world? The final chapters deal with the EU in the Asia Pacific region.

Description based on print version record.

The development of EU enlargement has raised many thorny issues unanticipated by the framers of the EC Treaty. A significant upshot of these issues is that the concept of European identity – defined in terms of such factors as culture, history and economics – has supplanted the long-dominant theme of ‘widening and deepening,'particularly since the Union's expansion has become primarily eastward. The major contribution of this important book lies in its analysis of the conceptualization and perception of enlargement from various points of view, focusing on the concerns of stakeholders and the ‘identity'conflicts and uncertainties incurred by enlargement initiatives. In the course of its presentation, it details the actual pre-accession Europeanization process and its complex history. Among the key elements discussed are the following: the conflict between ‘widening'and ‘deepening'and the effect on EU institutional reform; institutional requirements on candidate countries; pre-accession criteria and negotiations; administrative capacity, judicial capacity, and legal approximation in accession states; capacity of the EU to absorb new Member States; and EC law as part of European identity. Also covered are specific historical details of particular pre-accession negotiations (e.g., Greece, Spain, Portugal, Malta, and Cyprus), the still inconclusive negotiations with Turkey and the Western Balkan states, and political factors involved in the non-accession of Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Assembling powerful evidence and applying incisive analysis, the author's conclusion shows that, absent further (and major) EU institutional reform, it will be difficult for an enlarging Union to continue to ‘deliver the goods.'A watershed in the continuing great debate on the fulfilment of the EC Treaty's determination to foster and promote ‘an ever closer union of the peoples of Europe,'this book will prove invaluable to anybody interested in the European integration project, particularly lawyers, academics, officials and policymakers in the EU Member States.

'One of the most widely used introductions to the politics and policies of the European Union, and one of the few written specifically for American students, this new edition of John McCormick's book b'

How have the main institutions and decision-making processes of the EU responded to the arrival of new member states? This book assesses the actual state of the EU institutions in the years after the 2004 enlargement, examining each of the main institutional actors as well as trends in legislative output, implementing measures and non-legislative approaches. The contributors outline the key changes as well as patterns of continuity in the institutional politics of the EU.The analysis finds that breakdown has been avoided by a combination of assimilation of the new member states and adaptation of the system, without any fundamental transformation of the institutions. Nonetheless, they conclude that it is not just'business as usual'. The streamlining and formalization of procedures, together with increased informal practices, has implications for transparency and accountability. Widening has not prevented deepening of European integration, but it has deepened normative concerns about the democratic legitimacy of that process which will remain very much on the agenda of the enlarged EU.This nuanced approach to the complexities of studying institutional politics and change contains important new and original data. As such it will be invaluable for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students of EU politics and administrative science, as well as researchers, practitioners and journalists working in the fields of European studies more widely.

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.

An original and innovative recasting of constitutionalism, written by acknowledged experts in the field, this empirically grounded and theoretically informed volume addresses the strategies and philosophies that judges and lawyers bring to bear when creating European constitutional jurisprudence; investigating and promoting promotes the sustainability of a theory or praxis of ‘procedural'constitutionalism.Building upon European and American critical legal scholarship, Michelle Everson and Julia Eisner argue that constitutional adjudication has never been the neutral matter of a mere judicial ‘identification'of the values, norms and procedures that each society seeks to concretise in its own body of constitutional law. Instead, a ‘mythology'of comprehensive national constitutional settlement has obscured the primary legal constitutional conundrum that is created by the requirement that a judiciary must always adapt its constitutional jurisprudence to the evolving values that are to be found within any society; but must always, also, maintain the integrity and autonomy of the law itself.European judges and lawyers, having been denied recourse to all forms of constitutional mythology, provide us with an alternative model of constitutionalism; one that does not require a founding myth of constitutional settlement, and one which both secures the autonomy of law, as well as ensures dialogue between law and society. This occurs, however, not through grand theories of ‘constitutional adjudication'but, as The Making of a European Constitution documents, rather through a practical process.

This book deals with ongoing processes of European cooperation and integration, processes that may have a potential to change the political organization of Europe. Based on ideas from'the new institutionalism'the book offers a systematic perspective on institutional change and in particular the role of institutions in relation to four central and durable issues in the study of political life. These are: (1) the mediation between unity and diversity: what ties a society together and what keeps it apart. (2) The relations between citizens and their helpers: why the democratic deficit in the European Union can not be eliminated solely by making mechanisms of direct citizens participation and representation more efficient. Needed are also institutions that make direct participation redundant because they routinely work with integrity, generating expected and desired outcomes. (3) The relation between democratic design and historical drift: To what degree democracies are able to design and reform key institutions of governance so that their structures reflect popular will, understanding and control. (4) The co-existence of old and new political orders: How elements of a new order may supplement rather than replace elements of the old order, generating a'mixed order'based on partly inconsistent principles and rules.

A project of the European Union Studies Association.

The EU-NATO relationship continues to develop at a time of significant change for both organizations. Post 9/11, NATO embarked on a fundamental transformation, recasting itself as an organization with global strategic reach and interest, focused less on Europe than ever before. At the same time, the EU is also becoming a more global political actor. Consequently, there is growing evidence that over time the EU will take the primary place in providing military security in Europe. This volume combines political and legal methods to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current and likely future relationship between the EU and NATO. The work will be of interest to all those interested in the development of these two major organizations and international security more generally, whether from a political or legal perspective.

How did the process of European integration break down; how can it be repaired? In European Integration, 1950–2003, John Gillingham reviewed the history of the European project and predicted the rejection of the European constitution. Now the world's leading expert on the EU maps out a route to save the Union. The four chapters of this penetrating, fiercely-argued and often witty book subject today's dysfunctional European Union to critical scrutiny in an attempt to show how it is stunting economic growth, sapping the vitality of national governments, and undermining competitiveness. It explains how the attempt to revive the EU by turning it into a champion of research and development will backfire and demonstrates how Europe's great experiment in political and economic union can succeed only if the wave of liberal reform now under way in the historically downtrodden east is allowed to sweep away the prosperous and complacent west.

This book provides a general introduction to the European Union (EU) as an ever closer union of states and peoples. It describes how, from its origin in 1958 as an economic community of six states, the EU has grown into a political entity of 25 states with a population of more than 450 million. It also explains the constitution-making process that is currently taking place—with a draft constitution now being submitted for ratification by the 25 member states. The book shows how the distinctive features of a democratic polity that characterize the separate EU member states are gradually replicated in the European Union and how the Union is on its way to becoming a democratic polity of its own kind. Van Gerven writes from a legal perspective, with an eye to political theory and recent American and European history, and with a diverse readership from both sides of the Atlantic in mind.

Covering all the basics and more, this book is a concise and accessible introduction for students new to the study of the European Union, and for the general reader wanting to understand this increasingly important subject. Including useful boxes, tables and a glossary of all theoretical terms used, each highly structured chapter contains key learning points, making it an ideal guide for those with no prior knowledge of the subject.Key content includes:• the evolution of European integration • institutions and decision-making in the European Union • key policies of the European Union • current controversies in European integration • Which future for the European Union?

This is the first student book to focus on this core topic in EU law. It covers the essential rules of the free movement of people, goods, services and capital, and also explains related issues, such as harmonisation, the development of EU citizenship, human rights in the EU, and the regulation of ecommerce.

How are the deals and decisions of the EU made - in the meeting rooms and at the conference tables, or by informal networks in the back corridors of power?This book addresses an issue of paramount importance concerning the politics of the European Union: aspects of governance and policy making in the EU that are labelled'informal'. Much of the literature on the EU focuses on the formal facets of EU politics, but uniquely, the subject matter within this book deals with informal aspects such as: the role of personal relationships, the presence of non-hierarchical policy-networks and non-institutional channels of interest representation, and the relevance of the unwritten rules and routines which govern these aspects of EU politics. The contributors ascertain that the study of sectoral policy making in the EU is incomplete without attention to this informal governance, which is normatively and conceptually more complex than is generally assumed. They provide a number of different approaches to the subject, illuminating the nature of informal governance in the EU and demonstrating the way in which its analysis can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of politics and policy making in the EU.This highly original book will be a fascinating read for a wide-ranging audience - including academics, students, researchers and practitioners - with an interest in the governance of the EU.

Designed to succeed previous books on the Maastricht and Amsterdam treaties,this new work includes contributions from leading EU lawyers assessing the Nice Treaty and the Post-Nice process, which is rapidly developing in the lead-up to the next Intergovernmental conference. The book's central theme is the discussion of a European Constitution and European Constitutionalism. The new constitutional balance after institutional reform, the Luxembourg courts after Nice, the future of the three pillar Treaty structure and the Human Rights charter are the other main topics. Among the contributors are the editors, Professor Stephen Weatherill (Oxford), Professor Noreen Burrows (Glasgow), Professor Jürgen Schwarze (Freiburg), Professor Paul Craig (Oxford), Professor Jo Shaw (Manchester) Steve Peers (Essex) Professor Piet Eeckhout (King's College, London) and Professor Alan Dashwood (Cambridge).

John Pinder writes with expert knowledge of the European Union but in plain, readable English. He shows how and why the Union has developed from 1950 up to now. He explains the interplay between governments and federal elements in the institutions; consensus over the single market and the environment; conflicts over agriculture, social policies, the euro, frontier controls. He shows how the Union relates to its European neighbours, the United States, and the rest of the world. And he outlines the choices that lie ahead. He is clear about his federalist orientation, presents the arguments fairly, and is scrupulous about the facts. This is quite simply the best short book on the subject.

Die Diskussion um die Europäische Währungsunion hat die Tatsache verdrängt, daß die Europäische Union (EU) vor schwierigen konstitutionellen Entscheidungen steht: Die wirtschaftliche Integration im Zuge des Binnenmarktprogramms, die Erhöhung der Mobilität von Arbeit und Kapital durch die Währungsunion sowie die Zunahme der Mitgliederzahl und Strukturdivergenzen durch die geplante Osterweiterung bezeichnen künftige Herausforderungen, die nach allgemeiner Auffassung nicht ohne tiefgreifende institutionelle Veränderungen der EU zu bewältigen sind. Der Ausschuß für Wirtschaftssysteme des Vereins für Socialpolitik hat sich deshalb auf seiner Jahrestagung 1997 in Breisach aus ordnungstheoretischer und -politischer Sicht mit Gestaltungsaufgaben der europäischen Integration befaßt, die sich aus der notwendigen'Vertiefung'und geplanten'Erweiterung'der EU ergeben. Der vorliegende Band enthält alle gehaltenen Referate und die schriftlich vorgelegten Korreferate.