Thanks to new transparency rules and increased efforts by scholars, researchers are better equipped than ever before to analyze the decision-making processes of the Council of the European Union and to test old wisdoms. This book covers the most contentious areas and important debates in current research.

The Oxford Handbook of the European Union brings together numerous acknowledged specialists in their field to provide a comprehensive and clear assessment of the nature, evolution, workings, and impact of European integration.

Established in 2002, the Euro is now the currency of 17 countries used by over 335 million people daily. Although the single currency is much discussed in terms of macroeconomics and global finances, policymakers rarely address its impact on European citizenship in social, cultural, political, and everyday life economics terms. This hidden side of the single currency is the focus of the essays, which use various approaches, from economic history and political sociology to citizenship and legitimacy, to reveal the connections between the Euro and European citizenship. This timely contribution by renowned experts provides a greater understanding of the Euro at a time when it is not clear whether it should be celebrated or commemorated, and looks into aspects of the single currency that are the base of the social trust that supports it and that is at stake in the present crisis. It will be an essential tool to anyone studying the political, social, and economic development of the E.U.

"Violence against women undermines women's core fundamental rights such as dignity, access to justice and gender equality. For example, one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15; one in five women has experienced stalking; every second woman has been confronted with one or more forms of sexual harassment. What emerges is a picture of extensive abuse that affects many women's lives but is systematically underreported to the authorities. The scale of violence against women is therefore not reflected by official data. This FRA survey is the first of its kind on violence against women across the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). It is based on interviews with 42,000 women across the EU, who were asked about their experiences of physical, sexual and psychological violence, including incidents of intimate partner violence ('domestic violence'). The survey also included questions on stalking, sexual harassment, and the role played by new technologies in women's experiences of abuse. In addition, it asked about their experiences of violence in childhood. Based on the detailed findings, FRA suggests courses of action in different areas that are touched by violence against women and go beyond the narrow confines of criminal law, ranging from employment and health to the medium of new technologies."--Editor.

The book explains functions, powers and composition of the EU's institutions, including the Council of Europe, the Council of Ministers, the College of Commissioners, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the Court of Auditors and OLAF, and the Committee of Regions. After a historical overview of the attempts at EU institutional reform, three chapters examine how different institutions provide political direction, manage the Union and integrate interests.

Marina Kolb traces the relationship between the EU and the Council of Europe in the field of human rights. Applying an implementation literature and management studies-perspective, it argues that the biggest threat to interorganizational cooperation is organizational self-interest, despite a shared policy interest.

This is an authoritative, one-volume, and independent treatment of the history, functioning and nature of the European integration. Written by a selection of leading scholars. It covers the major institutions, policies, and events in the history of integration, whilst also providing a guide to the major theoretical approaches that have been used to study it over time. By bringing together such a distinguished cast covering such a wide array of themes, the Handbook is intended as a one stop shop for all those interested in the European Union and its predecessors. Written in an accessible style, the volume is intended to shape the discipline of EU studies, and to establish itself as the essential point of reference for all those interested in European integration, both in universities and more broadly. It represents a timely guide to an institution that is much discussed but often only imperfectly understood.