"The European Union (EU) is a continuously evolving entity. Starting with six member-states in the late 1950s, the EU currently encompasses 15 states of Western Europe. It is expected to almost double in size in the near future, however, taking in a number of states located in Central and Eastern Europe, in addition to Cyprus and Malta. This dramatic increase has led to an intensive debate on how the institutions of the EU should be adapted in order to cope with this growth."

"The book also addresses the challenges that EU enlargement and institutional change imply for various policy fields, such as EU trade policy, agriculture and monetary policy in the framework of European economic and monetary union. It will be of interest to economists and political scientists seeking an up-to-date overview of institutional challenges facing the EU."--Jacket.