The European Union and the Middle East presents a concise but thorough historical analysis of the relationship between the European Union and its predecessors and the Middle East, from the early 1950s to the present day. The authors provide a survey of the evolution of the foreign policy mechanisms of the EU and an outline of the relevant aspects of modern Middle East history. They examine the relationship betwen the two regions from 1950 to the end of the Cold War, with special emphasis on the period following the 1973/4 oil crisis. They go on to look at the post-Cold War era discussing...

The relationship between Europe and Asia is of increasing importance in the twenty-first century. The challenges straddling the two continents include immigration, poverty, environmental degradation, terrorism, drugs, nuclear proliferation and internecine strife. This book explores the significance of Asia for Europe in general and the EU in particular, calling for a much more sophisticated mutual understanding. George Wiessala analyses the existing Asia Policy of the European Union, tracing its development over the past 30 years, to the 2001 publication of the new strategy document,...

Flexibility is emerging as a key dynamic of European integration. This shift towards flexibility has major implications. The EU will have to cope with more complexity and less transparency. It also affects the way in which European integration is viewed since it makes a state-like outcome to the process far less likely. Alex Warleigh looks at why flexibility has become such an important feature of the EU. He examines its history, and puts forward a typology to explain the models by which it is understood. He goes on to explore the hazards of flexibility and to look at what it has to offer,...

The book provides an overview of the efforts to develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) for the European Union. It covers the attempts to create a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the establishment of the system of European Political Cooperation (EPC) in the 1970s and the renewed drive for a CFSP culminating in the treaties of Maastricht and Amsterdam. The book assesses the CFSP in operation, discusses the EU response to the Bosnia and Kosovo crises and offers some challenging proposals for the future development of the CFSP in light of the enlargement of the Union....

The CAP has traditionally been at the core of the European Communities and even now consumes half of the European Union's budget. This book emphasizes the long-term link between the CAP and the budget. It examines the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy as set out in the Treaty of Rome and discusses to what extent they have been achieved and whether they are relevant to the 21st century. The factors that have shaped the 1992 and 1999 CAP reforms are outlined, with the latter, in particular, demonstrating the budget's effect on CAP and CAP reforms. The internationalization of CAP with...

The European Social Fund has often been overshadowed by more visible European Union social and economic policies. It is, however, integral to the construction and development of the EU and has played a central role in the impact of the EU on individual member states.Based upon a study of the ESF and a range of social policy documents from the Treaty of Rome to the Treaty of Amsterdam, this analysis examines the connections between the ESF and other areas of EU policy. The European Social Fund and the EU will be of particular use to anyone interested in social and economic regeneration...

This book critically examines the European UnionAEs developing relationship with the green agenda, identifying links between the emerging pattern of green politics and patterns of EU policy-making. It examines why and how the environment has become such a significant part of the EUAEs activities and assesses the extent of the "greening" of the Union. In particular it examines to what extent green politics have impacted upon the EU institutions, its other policies and its progress towards sustainability. In tackling these questions, the book questions whether these aims can be effectively...

This book is aimed at an academic and general audience. It provides a comprehensive and authoritative review of the process of enlarging the European Union from 15 member states to include the 10 countries of central and eastern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean candidates. It also contains a note on NATO expansion, extensive documentation and a bibliography on enlargement. This title is published in conjunction with UACES, the University Association for Contemporary European Studies. UACES web site can be found at www.uaces.org>

This book provides an over-view of the key developments in the politics of European Union regional policy from the creation of the EEC to the present day. The discussion of 'who decides what and to what effect' in relation to regional policy is part of the contemporary academic debate about the nature of politics and policy-making in the EU. Bache argues that no single theory can explain the complex politics of EU regional policy-making. In particular, current theories pay insufficient attention to the importance of implementation in shaping policy outcomes. The book concludes that the...

The United States and the European Union provides a concise yet thorough overview of the interactions between the world's dominant country and the world's most developed institution. The book examines the major events in the history of US-EU relations, and suggests that changes in the international political economy play a key role in shaping this relationship. Consequently, the US and EU are in a constant state of competition and cooperation that varies by issue and policy area. The United States and the European Union is well-suited for courses on Europe's external relations, US foreign...