The European Community and the challenge of the future /

This cooperative effort is one of the most useful introductions to the European Community published to date. The authors not only describe the institutions and programs created over the years but also highlight the ongoing debates that will affect the EC's continued development. (Because the book was written before the defeat of hard line Communist rule in East Germany and other East European nations, it cannot take into account how these new circumstances may impact on the Community.) The contributors explore the issue of supranationalism versus national sovereignty; the respective roles of the Council, the Commission, and the European Parliament; and implications for future institutional relations. Going beyond these structural concerns, they also explore several issues that could represent stumbling blocks in the future--e.g., how the Community might modify the concepts of free enterprise to preserve provisions of a social charter and implement measures to soften the impact of structural changes in the economy and just how much centralized economic direction will be possible unless and until the member states agree to enter into a supranationalistic political system. In conclusion, the authors forecast that the Community will not become isolationist and protectionist, but that it will come to play a leading role in promoting continued economic growth within an enviromentally conscious global system. Of interest to general readers and to college students and faculty in economics, politics, and European studies. G. T. Potter Ramapo College of New Jersey