The essential Pelican introduction to the European Union - its history, its politics, and its role today For most of us today, 'Europe' refers to the European Union. At the centre of a seemingly never-ending crisis, the EU remains a black box, closed to public understanding. Is it a state? An empire? Is Europe ruled by Germany or by European bureaucrats? Does a single European economy exist after all these years of economic integration? And should the EU have been awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2012? Critics tell us the EU undermines democracy. Are they right? In this provocative volume, political scientist Chris Bickerton provides an answer to all these key questions and more at a time when understanding what the EU is and what it does is more important than ever before.

The citizenship curriculum, which became statutory in 2002, aims to create informed citizens by enabling pupils to play an effective role in society. This series examines the institutions, rights and responsibilities that underpin our lives in the UK and relates them to the experience of the reader. Each book looks at a different aspect of UK society, such as the law, national and local government or the media.

The European Union (EU) is not a federal State like the United States of America because its member countries remain independent sovereign nations, nor is it a purely intergovernmental organization like the United Nations because the member countries do pool some of their sovereignty. They pool their sovereignty by taking joint decisions through shared institutions such as the European Parliament, which is elected by the EU citizens, and the Council, which represents national government. They decide on the basis of proposals from the European Commission, which represents the interests of the EU as a whole. This publication examines question such as: What does each of these institutions do? How do they work together? Who is responsible for what? It also gives a brief overview of the agencies and other bodies that are involved in the European Union's work.--Publisher's description.

Concise and handy guide to the European Union fully updated for this paperback edition. This book looks at the role of the European Union from its conception to present day. It covers what the European Union is and the benefits of membership, how it came to be what it is today, its key institutions and their role, and ends by looking at future developments. At the end there is an activity which challenges the reader to find out more about the European Union and the countries which belong to it.