A tension between (richer) contributing Member States and (poorer) recipient Member States has always characterised the history of the budget of the European Union, the politics of which has often turned fraught. This volume evaluates the prospects for major change to expenditure and the structure of the budget for the period starting in 2014.

Since the inception of the European Economic Community, the EU budget has been one of the most contested and important issues. The evolution of its structure and composition has also reflected the overall development of the EU. From a multidisciplinary approach, this book examines the current features and challenges of the EU budget. It provides historical, political, legal, and economic analyses, alongside a discussion of its future development. The book will prove timely and relevant for scholars, practitioners and policy makers alike.

This volume explores the involvement of the European Union in the exercise of core state powers such as foreign and defense policy, public finance, public administration, and the maintenance of law and order.

France and Germany have played a pivotal role in European politics and integration. Shaping Europe systematically investigates the interrelated reality of Franco-German bilateralism and multilateral European integration from the Elysée Treaty into the Twenty-first Century.

This book for children (roughly 9 to 12 years old) gives an overview of Europe and explains briefly what the European Union is and how it works.--Publisher's description.