European governance after Nice

Abstract:

This work seeks to meet three objectives - 'first, to provide an updated guide to the European Union as an institution, describing its functions; second, to explain why it works in the way that it does, analysing the pressures to which it is subject and its relationship with Member States; third, to examine how and to what extent, the Nice Treaty will contribute to solutions of existing problems, and to try to find both its positive meaning and limits'.

The book is organised in three parts. Part one deals with reform of the European Union with chapters on the European Constitution after the Nice Treaty and Euro exchange rate stability. Part two addresses issues of institutional reform, beginning with a chapter about the political reflections on the Treaty of Nice before moving to discuss the drafting of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the new phase of EU democracy. Also examined is the impact of the Nice Treaty upon the reformation of the EC judicial system. Part three looks to the future and the part to be played by the decisions made in the Nice Treaty. Following a chapter on the emerging new sphere of social policy created by the EU the work closes with consideration of the hopes and fears of candidate countries for membership of the EU, with specific focus on Poland.

The work will interest students, scholars, researchers and policy makers in the fields of European Union studies, EU enlargement, comparative politics and international administration.

Koji Fukuda is Professor of International Administration at Waseda University, Tokyo.

Hiroya Akiba is Professor of Economics at Waseda University, Tokyo.