Information on EC policy areas: extracts from periodical articles.

'...thoughtful, well-researched and intellectually stimulating...' - Martin Holmes, Financial Times The European House of Cards examines how the fall of communism in 1989 and the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1991 are affecting the present-day development of the European Union. The book argues that, with the end of communism, the decades-long discussion of furthering the levels of European integration has moved from the realm of grand idea to absolute necessity. The Treaty's adoption has marked the period within which Europe will move from nation-states to a United States of Europe.

As economic advisor to the Bank of England for many years, C. A. E. Goodhart is uniquely positioned to assess the role of the central bank in the modern financial system. This book brings together twenty-one of his previously published articles dealing with the changing functions of central banks over time, recent efforts to maintain price stability, and debates over specific financial regulation proposals in the UK. Although the current day-to-day operations of central banks are subject to continuous comment and frequent criticism, their structural role within the economic system as a whole has generally been accepted without much question, despite several attempts by economists in recent decades to challenge the value of the institution. C. A. E. Goodhart brings his knowledge of both the theoretical arguments and the actual working of central banks to bear in these essays. Part I looks at the general purposes and functions of central banks within the financial system and their evolution over time. Part II concentrates on the current objectives and operations of central banks, and the maintenance of price stability in particular. Part III analyzes the broader issues of financial regulation.

Leading commentators on Europe and the Middle East explore many of the key issues which have informed the relationship between the two regions. Ranging from Europe's colonial legacies to an uncertain economic future in the region the book covers: * the Cold War and after * the profound influence of the US * the rise of political Islam * case studies including Europe and the Iranian revolution, France's experiences in Algeria, and Turkey's position between the two regions. The EU, it is argued, has more influence over economic strategies than security issues in the Middle East. These strategies have in turn promoted stability in the form of free trade zones, ensuring vital economic development between the Middle East and Europe.