An examination of the central institution of the EU. The editor, Prof. Neill Nugent, brings together a range of perspectives, each based on original research, examining all aspects from recruitment to policy-making, from the Commission's history to its future prospects.

Preface List of Abbreviations Notes on the Contributors Introduction: At the Heart of the Union; N.Nugent European Commissioners 1952-1995: National Routes to a European Elite; A.Macmullen Identities in the European Commission; M.McDonald Administrative Culture in the European Commission: The Cases of Competition and Environment; M.Cini A House with Differing Views: The European Commission and Cohesion Policy; L.Hooghe The Commission as an Agent; M.A.Pollack Uniting European Industrial Policy: A Commission Agenda for Integration; T.C.Lawton Safeguarding the Economic Constitution: The Commission and Competition Policy; L.McGowan The Commission Made Me Do It: The European Commission as a Strategic Asset in Domestic Politics; M.P.Smith The Commission and Implementation in the European Union: Is there an Implementation Deficit and Why?; B.Guy Peters Managing the Managers: the Commission's Role in the Implementation of Spending Programmes; R.Levy The European Commission and the Politics of Legitimacy in the European Union; H.Drake The Commission and the Intergovernmental Conferences; D.Dinan The Role of the Commission: A Theoretical Discussion; J.H.Matlary Conclusions: Themes and Prospects; N.Nugent Annex: Directorates General and Special Units of the Commission References Index

'...a fascinating and impressive overview of different approaches and research directions on the Commission and makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of this institution.' - Ulrich Sedelmeier, Regional Studies '...an important addition...this is an excellent book which could be very useful for students of European integration but also for policy practitioners.' - Christian Lequesne, West European Politics 'This is an excellent book. At a time when reform of EU institutions is high on the EU agenda, such a high quality and detailed examination of the Commission is very welcome indeed...'. - John Redmond, Political Studies 'It is a treasure-trove of essays on all aspects of the Commission... this is an excellent book...'. Stephen George, University Association for Contemporary European Studies book reviews

MICHELLE CINI Jean Monet Lecturer in European Community Studies, Department of Politics, University of Bristol DESMOND DINAN Associate Professor of History and Director of the Centre for European Integration Studies, George Mason University, Virginia HELEN DRAKE Lecturer in French and European Studies, Loughborough University LIESBET HOOGHE Assistant Professor in Political Science, University of Toronto THOMAS LAWTON Lecturer in European Business and Policy, Royal Holloway College, University of London ROGER LEVY Professor of Government and Head of the School of Public Administration and Law, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen ANDREW MACMULLEN Associate Director of the Centre for European Studies and Lecturer in Politics, University of Durham MARYON MCDONALD Senior Fellow, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge LEE MCGOWAN Lecturer in Government, University of Ulster at Jordanstown JANNE HAALAND MATLARY Senior Researcher and Assistant Professor, Centre for Advanced Research of the Europeanisation of the Nation State, Oslo University B.GUY PETERS Maurice Faulk Professor of American Government, University of Pittsburgh MARK POLLACK Assistant Professor of Politics, University of Wisconsin, Madison MITCHELL P.SMITH Assistant Professor of Political Science, Middlebury College