The bestselling Penguin Companion to European Union explains the ideas, institutions, personalities and policies that have shaped politics at European level since the Second World War. Its interlocking A to Z entries provide clear, definitive and accessible accounts of the history, role, powers and decision-making processes of the European Union - and other international organizations, such the Council of Europe and NATO - as well as the national and international political contexts in which they operate. In this completely new fourth edition, Anthony Teasdale has updated the whole text and added a series of entries on key developments in recent years - including the drafting and aborted ratification of the European Constitution, the new power balance defined by the Lisbon Treaty, and the politics and economics of the eurozone debt crisis. Read Less