The European Union Presidency: Institutionalized Procedure of Political Leadership

Paperback, 401 pages, NOT ex-library. Author's foreign inscription on first page. Few small marks from reading, gentle cornerwear, interior remains clean, with unmarked text and firm binding; free of stamps. Faint storage marks on page edges externally. Cover shows rubbing to edges, creases to rear corners. Spine is straight, uncreased. --- The basic questions of this book concern the contemporary role and importance of the presidency in the European Union. How has the presidency - initially quite a modest function - been able to gain such a significant role for the EU proceedings? It managed to initiate far-reaching projects, solve basic negotiating problems, or - until the Lisbon treaty - to represent the Union externally. What are the main challenges related to its preparations and how it is run? Answers to these questions seem to be necessary to capture the elements of the contemporary dispute over the political leadership in the European Union, narrowed down to the issue of the presidency and its institutional role in the EU decision-making system. Hence, another question arises: What is the significance of the presidency for the general models of European integration? Understanding that would help us not only to explain the long-term integration trends, but would also provide a reference framework for practical projects that might be undertaken by future presidencies. The basic theory of European integration tested here is institutionalism in its various formulations. --- Contents: 1. Notions, Theories, Concepts 1.1. Presidency in Theories of European Integration [Transactionism; Functionalism; Neofunctionalism; Liberal Intergovernmentalism; Institutionalism]; 2. Evolution and Functions of the EU Presidency 2.1 Beginnings of the Presidency 2.2 EU Enlargement Perspective 2.3 Rotation of the Presidency 2.4 Precedence of the EU Member States 2.5 Team Presidency 2.6 Tasks of the Presidency 2.7 Paradoxes and Limitations of the EU Presidency; 3. Preparations and Exercise of the Presidency 3.1 Calendar of Meetings 3.2 Human Resources 3.3 Presidency's Priorities 3.4 Political Aspects of Preparing the Presidency 3.5 Practice of the Presidency [Roles and Meanings of the PermRep; Administrative Coordination; Parliament and the Commission; Chairing of Meeting; European Council; Area of Security, Freedom and Justice; Problems of Non-Uniform Presidency]; 4. Meanings of Presidency and EU Leadership 4.1 EU Presidency and the Models of Integration 4.2 Political and Analytical Federalism 4.3 Method of Economic Integration 4.4 Community Model 4.5 Model of Flexible Integration 4.6 Political Model; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.…