The European Union after the Treaty of Amsterdam

Book abstract:

The Treaty of Amsterdam, which was signed in June 1997, signified a major step forward in the internal workings of the European Union, its growth eastwards and its role as an actor on the world stage. This book, 'The European Union after the Treaty of Amsterdam', offers an explanation and an analysis of both the complexities of the Amsterdam treaty and its place in the process of European integration.

The framework set by the Treaty for the development of the European Union will affect most of the national and European policy-making areas. This book focuses on the constitutional and institutional reforms post-Amsterdam and examines three key policy areas radically altered by the Treaty, namely: employment and social policy; the Common Foreign and Security policy; and the field of Justice and Home Affairs, particularly the incorporation of Schengen. In each, the contributor examines the new provisions with regards to three specific areas: the effectiveness of the Union; its internal efficiency; and its legitimacy. This analysis is preceded by an extensive discussion in Part I of the negotiations and outcome of the intergovernmental conferences in 1996 and 1997. The book concludes with a look to the future development of the European Union, in particular the challenges of enlargement, further institutional reform and the risk of fragmentation. The book is brought right up to date by including a discussion of the implications of the Treaty of Nice signed in December 2000.

This book will be useful to all students of European integration particularly those interested in its theoretical aspects and its future in the third millennium.

The book is edited by Jörg Monar, Director of the Centre for European Politics and Institutions at the University of Leicester, and Wolfgang Wessels, Chairman of the Trans European Policy Studies Association at the University of Cologne. The contributors include both practitioners who were involved in the negotiations and distinguished academic experts.