From its original six members (who formed the European Economic Community in 1957) what became the European Union had grown to 27 members in 2007, with several more candidates for membership standing in the wings. This long-established definitive guide to the workings of the EU provides comprehensive coverage of How it works: the institutions, the mechanisms Every area of EU competence from agriculture to workers' rights The effects of the single market and the single currency and the successes and stresses of the euro zone The implications of the Lisbon treaty The impact of the enlargement of the EU and the prospects for further enlargement and for closer political integration The Guide to the European Union is well-established as the clearest and most comprehensive guide to how the EU operates. This new edition brings you up to date at a crucial stage in its development following parliamentary elections and a new Commission taking over in 2009 and the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.