The European Union and the Member States

Can the European Union survive repeated economic crises? If it survives, will it stay as it is or take on a new form? This new edition of The European Union and the Member States, fully revised and updated, addresses these questions as it explores the complex relationship between the EU and each of its now 28 members.

The country chapters follow a common format, considering: How and in what areas does EU policy affect, and how is it affected by, the member states? What mechanisms do the member states use to implement EU policy? What is each state’s compliance record? Covering the full range of political, economic, and social issues, the authors offer an insightful discussion of the interplay of EU initiatives with strong, existing national policies and traditions.

CONTENTS:

• Introduction―the Editors.
• What Is the European Union?―J. McCormick.
• THE ORIGINAL MEMBER STATES.
• Germany: Architect of Europe―C. Lankowski.
• France: Adjustment to the Euro System―C. Deubner.
• Italy: The Maze of Domestic Concerns―F. Bindi.
• Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg: Challenging European Integration―K.M. Anderson.
• THE SECOND WAVE.
• The United Kingdom: Reacting to Crises―J. Mather.
• Ireland: Cranky Rebel or Good Soldier?―R.B. Finnegan.
• Denmark: Its European Dilemma―M. Wind.
• THE 1980S.
• Greece: Austerity and EU Influence―N. Zahariadis.
• Portugal and Spain: The Limits of Convergence―S. Royo.
• THE 1990S.
• Austria: Broadly Pro-European―Z. Kudrna.
• Sweden: A Non-Euro Member Losing Influence―L.J. Eliasson.
• Finland: An End to Domestic Consensus?―T. Raunio.
• THE 2004 ROUND.
• Poland: A Skillful Player―A. Gruszczak.
• Hungary: Embracing Euro-Skepticism―T. Novak.
• The Czech Republic: Finding Its Way―E.E. Zeff, E.B. Pirro, and K. Williams.
• Slovenia and Slovakia: A Tale of Two States―P. Loedel.
• Cyprus and Malta: The Impact of Europeanization―R. Pace.
• Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia: Successful Adaptation―R. Buhr.
• THE NEWEST MEMBER STATES.
• Romania and Bulgaria: From Laggards to Exceptional Cases―N. Cugleşan and M. Herbel.
• Croatia: Challenges After EU Accession―V. Vukovic and L. Orešković.
• CONCLUSION.
• The European Union and the Member States: Concluding Thoughts―the Editors.

 

Eleanor Zeff is associate professor emerita of political science at Drake University.