Introduction

This introductory chapter makes a general description of the contents of this volume. It presents the workings of the European Union and the practicality of its policies. It describes the EU’s institutions, integration theory and the sense of a democratic deficit, which is often referred to as the question of the legitimacy of EU institutions. Furthermore, the most important EU policies are described, namely agricultural policy, regional policy, economic and monetary policy, foreign and defence policy, social policy, environmental policy and immigration policy. This volume is aimed at readers who want a comprehensive understanding of the integration process and its functions, as well as more specialised readers who want a book that grasps important details about European institutions and policies. Furthermore, it can serve as an introductory guide for students whose fields of study relate to the field of European integration.