This book has established itself as one of the most concise and authoritative guides to the institutional development of the European Union. Covering the evolution from the original European Communities to the Constitution for Europe, Youri Devuyst introduces the reader to the divisions and dilemmas that have resulted in today’s European Union. In doing so, the book provides much-needed clarification of the principles and practice behind the Union’s institutions, decision-making and external relations. This knowledge is of crucial importance in grasping not just the Union’s way of doing business but also the current debate on the future of the enlarged European Union and its new Constitution. Written in a clear and comprehensible style throughout, The European Union Transformed includes 20 topic-specific guides to further reading, making it the ideal source for all those who wish to understand the functioning of the European institutions.