The European Union in the 21st Century takes a fresh look at a complex and ever-changing organization by examining its pursuit of two very different objectives: power (security and political weight) and plenty (economic growth and social welfare). Nikolaos Zahariadis aims to help students understand these two objectives and how the tension between them affects different issue areas, illuminating how each objective represents a different perspective on what the EU is and what it does. The book also introduces students to the systematic thinking that political scientists employ to see the connections between policies, institutions, and actors. By unpacking the various perspectives, students will gain greater insight into how policymakers think and why EU leaders make the kinds of decisions they do.

Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union? Is the Commonwealth of Nations still relevant for its very diverse member states, ranging from small island states to Australia and India? In contemporary British politics, both organisations have come under fierce criticism, sometimes leading to hasty assessments of historical experiences and current policies. Given the fact that the United Kingdom, Cyprys and Malta are members of both organisations, and that ‘Brexit’ would have far-ranging consequences much beyond British shores, relations between the EU and the Commonwealth have featured surprisingly rarely in major debates of international policy. This edited volume suggests possible – and even desirable – connections between the two organisations by investing current contacts, fault lines, external critique and outside perspectives. Focusing on soft power, development, humanitarianism and modes of intervention, the authors investigate disputes over international norms and trade patterns. Through global approaches and specific case studies drawn from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, they demonstrate where opportunities for international cooperation were missed and how useful partnerships might be found. The EU and the Commonwealth are undoubtedly very different organisations but distinctions can provide grounds for meaningful, relevant cooperation. More strategic dialogue between the Commonwealth and the EU, this volume agues, would be a valuable asset for the two international organisations, their member states and their citizens. This book was originally published as a special issue of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.

The emergence of new powers fundamentally questions the traditional views on international relations, multilateralism or security as a range of countries now competes for regional and global leadership - economically, politically, technologically and militarily. As the focus of international attention shifts from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the European states in particular are seen to lose influence relative to the emerging economic powerhouses of China, Russia, India and Brazil. European nations find themselves too small to engage meaningfully with these continent-sized powers and, in an increasingly multipolar world are concerned their influence can only continue to decline. This book analyses the shifts in the structure of global power and examines the threats and opportunities they bring to Europe. Leading European Contributors reflect on how the EU can utilise collective strength to engage and compete with rapidly developing nations. They examine perceptions of the EU among the emerging powers and the true meaning and nature of any strategic partnerships negotiated. Finally they explore the shape and structure of the international system in the 21st century and how the EU can contribute to and shape it.

In the light of Brexit, the migration crisis, and growing scepticism regarding the European integration process, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the most pressing problems facing the European Union in the 21st century. Written by experts from various disciplines, the contributions cover a wide range of economic, legal, social and political challenges, including populism, migration, Brexit, and EU defence, foreign policy and enlargements. Each paper includes a historical account, insights into the problems and challenges confronting the EU, and an assessment of the institutions and policy instruments applied by the EU in response. Discussing each of the problems as part of a process – including the historical roots, current situation and potential solutions – the book allows readers to gain an understanding of the European Union as a living project.

A socialist programme presented in Berlin in 2010 giving a strategy for the European Left.

Major changes in EU tax law demand an analysis of not just the current state of the field, but also forthcoming EU-level policy initiatives and their likely implications for taxpayers, regulators, and national legislatures alike. This book, the first in-depth commentary and analysis of such developments, offers exactly that. Twenty EU tax and policy experts examine the impact of EU Treaty provisions and recent ECJ case law on EU tax law, and provide well-informed assessments of current and anticipated EU tax policy initiatives and their potential impacts. Taxpayers, their advisors, national tax administrations, and national legislators will find relevant chapters to aid their understanding of, and to allow them to proactively address, EU tax law issues, such as: – non-discrimination; – state aid rules; – fundamental freedoms; – discretionary power of national tax authorities; – tax competition in the internal market; – cross-border exchange of tax information; – corporate tax harmonization; – EU and Member States’ external relations; and – the limits of judicial authority in tax policy. As an authoritative,detailed guide to recent and future developments in EU tax law, with highly informed insights into their practical effect, this book will be a welcome addition to the arsenal available to tax practitioners dealing with European tax matters, as well as interested policymakers and academics.

This book draws attention to selected aspects of the Central European reality and discusses interesting subjects related to the political, economic and social landscape of the region, which are in a continuous process of transformation. The book will be a useful source of knowledge, as Central Europe is still considered to be an “undiscovered island” in the “changeable waters” of contemporary international relations.

- Wouter de Vos.

Published in the year 1999, Human Rights: 21st Century is a valuable contribution to the field of Law.