European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Very Short Introductions

Offers an overview of European Union law, showing why it is the most ambitious attempt yet made to get historically, economically and legally diverse nation states to work together for the common good
Explains the role of the European Court of Justice and other European Union courts, and how they are involved in the application of European Union law
Discusses the range of issues that the European Union has the power to regulate, such as the free movement of goods and people
Considers the distinction between the European Union's substantive law, which concerns the content of the rules put in place to achieve its policy objectives, and the EU's constitutional and administrative law, which concerns the mechanisms by which those rules are adopted, applied and enforced
Contemplates how European Union law might develop in the future in the face of pressures to reform
Part of the Very Short Introductions series - over eight million copies sold worldwide

European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Description

The European Union is rarely out of the news and, as it deals with the consequences of the Brexit vote and struggles to emerge from the eurozone crisis, it faces difficult questions about its future. In this debate, the law has a central role to play, whether the issue be the governance of the eurozone, the internal market, 'clawing back powers from Europe' or reducing so-called 'Brussels red tape'.

In this Very Short Introduction Anthony Arnull looks at the laws and legal system of the European Union, including EU courts, and discusses the range of issues that the European Union has been given the power to regulate, such as the free movement of goods and people. He considers why an organisation based on international treaties has proved capable of having far-reaching effects on both its Member States and on countries that lie beyond its borders, and discusses how its law and legal system have proved remarkably effective in ensuring that Member States respect the commitments they made when they signed the Treaties. Answering some of the key questions surrounding EU law, such as what exactly it is about, and how it has become part of the legal DNA of its Member States so much more effectively than other treaty-based regimes, Arnull considers the future for the European Union.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Very Short Introductions

European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Very Short Introductions

Author Information

Anthony Arnull, Barber Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of Education, College of Arts & Law, Birmingham Law School

Anthony Arnull holds the Barber Chair of Jurisprudence at the University of Birmingham. He has specialised in the law of the European Union for over 30 years and worked at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg from 1989-92. His publications include The European Union and its Court of Justice (OUP, 2nd ed, 2006), Continuity and Change in EU Law: Essays in Honour of Sir Francis Jacobs (ed, with Piet Eeckhout and Takis Tridimas) (OUP, 2008), and The Oxford Handbook of European Union Law, (OUP, 2015), with Damian Chalmers. He has given evidence to a number of UK Parliamentary Select Committees and acted as Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords EU Committee. In 2013-14, he served as an output assessor on the Law Sub-Panel for the 2014 Research Assessment Exercise (REF).

European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Very Short Introductions

Reviews and Awards

"This incisive analysis will prove a boon for commentators (and perhaps even negotiators) on both sides of the Channel" - Times Higher Education

"It is an amazing achievement to write on this subject such a concise, interesting and balanced book." - Law Society Gazette

"Whatever you feel about the EU and Brexit, this straightforward and clear introduction to the subject is written in a very balanced way. There is a section on 'competence creep', which sounds chilling." - The Law Society 'Books of the Year 2017'

"Many have, belatedly, come to realise the importance of EU law. They could wish for no better introduction to it than this wonderful little book." - Anand Menon, King's College London, Director of The UK in a Changing Europe

European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction

Anthony Arnull

Very Short Introductions

From Our Blog

Brexit and muddled thinking

When Sir Ivan Rogers stepped down in January as the UK's top official in Brussels, he urged his colleagues to 'continue to challenge ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking' and not to be afraid 'to speak the truth to those in power.' The implication was clear. The government's Brexit preparations displayed all these failings but the politicians responsible did not like having this pointed out.

Posted on February 3, 2017

Read the blog post