This brief and accessible introduction to the European Union is ideal forscholars and professionals in government, business, the media, or the nonprofitsector who need a concise overview of the structure, history, and policies of theEU. This new edition also provides useful background reading for advanced highschool and college courses and for those planning overseas study, work, or research.Andreas Staab offers basic terms and interpretive frameworks for understanding theevolution of the EU; the overall structure, purpose, and mandate of its mainconstituent divisions; and key policy areas, such as market unification. The entiretext has been thoroughly updated to incorporate information about key actors, terms, and new developments, and a new chapter on environmental policy has beenadded.