Understanding the European Communities

Understanding the European Communities brings together the joint expertise of a practitioner and an academic to provide a comprehensive introduction to the history, organizations and systems of the European Community. The book is written at a level accessible to those approaching the subject for the first time. One of its major themes is that the development, institutional system, policies and significance of the European Communities cannot be understood unless treated in the proper historical and political perspective. The book therefore traces the intellectual origins of European integration and the evolution of the Communities right up to the end of the 1980s. Throughout, the text is illustrated by tables and diagrams. Understanding the European Communities is essential reading for all students of European politics and economics.