This ninth edition of this well-informed and comprehensive "Encyclopedia and Directory" charts the European Union's development. Thoroughly updated, this extensive reference source provides in-depth information on all matters relating to the European Union: the expansion of the EU under the Nice Treaty is covered, and the future of the union is addressed. A glossary of key terms, a statistical survey and a directory section provide a unique guide to the workings of the EU as well as up-to-date contact details of MEPs and other EU officials. This work features an up-to date chronology of the EU (from 1947 to present), an A-Z section that contains concise definitions and explanations of organizations, acronyms and terms, and articles on each member state.Comprising over 1,000 entries compiled by acknowledged experts, terms listed include: the European Convention; the Rapid Reaction Mechanism; the Charter of Fundamental Rights; the Laeken Declaration; enlargement; and, immigration policy. A series of introductory articles provide an overall view of the policies and activities of the EU. Essay subjects include: defence policies of the EU; the EU economy; European Monetary Union; the governance, legal and social frameworks of the EU; enlargement; and, external relations, migration and asylum policy.This work includes an extensive directory of key names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and internet addresses of all major European Union institutions and their official bodies. This information is supplemented by summaries of important treaties; details of information sources in the EU; and, details of EU-level trade and professional associations. Also in this section, details of MEPs and the political groups and national parties contributing to the European Parliament a statistical survey provides tables covering areas such as: population, employment, agriculture, energy and mining, industry, finance, trade, transport and communications, tourism, health and wel