Situated within the context of the ongoing debate about European contract law, this book provides a detailed examination of the European Union's competence in the field of contract law. It analyses the limits of Union competence in relation to several relevant Treaty provisions which potentially confer competence on the Union to adopt a comprehensive contract law instrument and the exercise of Union competence in connection with the operation of the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and sincere cooperation. It also explores the viability of several alternative and complementary routes to the adoption of such an instrument, including enhanced cooperation, an intergovernmental treaty and certain American techniques. Setting forth an elaborate account of the context for this debate and its chronological development at the European level, this book charts the discussions relating to the European Union's competence to regulate contract law and offers a comparative analysis of the approach taken to the approximation of contract law in the American setting. Setting forth a detailed account of the context for this debate and its chronological development at the European level, the book charts the discussions that have occurred within and outside the EU relating to the transnational competence to regulate contract law. Situating European constitutional law within the continued debate about European contract law, it also reflects upon the contract law structure of the United States and examines the viability of alternative and complementary routes to the adoption of a comprehensive instrument of substantive contract law.

This clear and engaging text examines the process and politics of the European UnionOs OEasternO enlargement, beginning with its initial response to the 1989 revolution up through the Helsinki summit decisions of December 1999. Michael Baun explores such topics as the EUOs original decision to enlarge, the pre-accession strategy for prospective members, the key political decisions on launching and expanding the accession negotiations, and the actual progress of the negotiations. He also examines the EUOs efforts to reform its policies and institutions in advance of enlargement. Throughout, Baun weaves in understandable explanations of the complex multilevel process of EU decisionmaking. He concludes by considering the limits of enlargement and its consequences for the EUOs future development.

This study examines and analyses the security and foreign policy behaviour of Austria, Finland and Sweden during the first decade after the end of the Cold War. In particular it investigates these countries' responses to the developments that occurred after 1989 in Europe and within such key institutions as the EU, the WEU and NATO. Drawing on original primary data gleaned from over a hundred interviews held in Austria, Finland, Sweden, Britain and Belgium with a wide range of experts including political leaders, diplomats, military personnel and foreign and security advisers, this book uncovers the political and strategic rationale that has shaped the post-Cold War security and foreign policies of Austria, Finland and Sweden. The author demonstrates that these countries have increasingly participated in the construction of European security but with limitations resulting from their continuing commitment to military neutrality.

The authors predict that the impact will be far-reaching, leading to a more liquid, mature and efficient capital market. The structure of capital markets in Europe and the behaviour of actors in these markets will be fundamentally affected, leading to a more integrated market. For monetary union to achieve its real objective, policy makers will need to address a wide variety of outstanding issues, in particular the taxation of savings income, accounting standards, capital market regulation and financial supervision. The start of monetary union on 1 January 1999 launched a process of radical change in the structure of capital markets in Europe. Whereas previously, Europe had been fragmented into many diverse national markets, a single Euro capital market is now emerging. This book focuses on the long-term impact that the introduction of the euro will have on European capital markets and spells out implications for the financial sector and the wider economy. It discusses what further steps need to be taken to achieve a fully integrated market. In particular, the book examines: * The institutional and regulatory framework for European capital markets * The structure of European capital markets on the eve of EMU * The regional differences and the contrasts with the US capital market * The central role played by banks in European capital markets and the likelihood that a more market-based system may emerge * The implications of EMU for organised securities markets * The consequences for governance and policy, and more in particular for the taxation of savings income, securities market regulation and financial supervision

This book provides a commentary on the law of the EU related to the Monetary Union. It contains a comprehensive analysis of all provisions of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and the European Central Bank (ECB). In addition, the book also analyses all provisions of the Treaties themselves which regulate the ESCB and the ECB. This analysis is supplemented by commentaries on other Protocols which contain relevant rules for the Monetary Union. In essence, all relevant statutory rules governing the euro and its key monetary authority, the European Central Bank, are unfolded and explained in one volume. This gives the book a unique position in the legal literature on the law of the EU. With contributions by renowned academics and practitioners, this book is an expanded and updated translation of the 2013 German commentary, EWU Kommentar zu Europäischen Währungsunion (Mohr Siebeck) and is an invaluable resource for practitioners and academics alike who are looking for a provision-by-provision commentary on the laws governing the European Monetary Union.