Follows the EU constitutional reform process from its controversial early incarnation, the EU Constitutional Reform Treaty, to its current, less controversial version, the Lisbon Treaty. It focuses on the three no-votes (Dutch, French, and Irish) to the original and the current treaty, and the different reasoning behind each. Assembling the opinions of policymakers, academics, and journalists, the work presents the debate between the crisis callers those who see the EU constitutional reform process as a sign of political crisis within the EU that might, in some cases, result in positively increasing the legitimacy of the EU and the normalizers those who see it as no different from the previous EU reform processes. Through this debate, the work emphasizes why the EU Constitutional Treaty is particularly important and assesses the extent to which it is likely to significantly change both the functioning and, perhaps more importantly, the outlook of the EU.

Given the controversies and difficulties which preceded the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it is easy to forget that the Treaty is a complex legal document in need of detailed analysis for its impact to be fully understood. Jean-Claude Piris, the Director General of the Legal Service of the Council of the European Union, provides such an analysis, looking at the historical and political contexts of the Treaty, its impact on the democratic framework of the EU and its provisions in relation to substantive law. Impartial legal analysis of the EU's functions, its powers and the treaties which govern it make this the seminal text on the most significant recent development in EU law.

The Lisbon Treaty reformed the foundations of the European Union and marked the culmination of a process of Treaty reform that began after the Treaty of Nice and spanned almost a decade. This book addresses the main innovations made by the new Treaty, examining its legal and political consequences in a reformed EU. The book is organized thematically around the principal issues that occupied those engaged in the reforms over the last decade. The chapters include analysis of the reform process itself and the political forces that shaped the relevant provisions of the Lisbon Treaty.

The book contains detailed analysis of the relevant legal changes made by the Lisbon Treaty on each topic covered. This legal analysis is informed by broader literature from related disciplines, such as political science and international relations, since it is only by doing so that it is possible fully to understand the legal implications of the new provisions dealing with issues such as the inter-institutional division of power within the EU, the distribution of competence, the hierarchy of legal acts and the Charter of Rights.

The book addresses the political and legal implications of the Treaty provisions, and the discussion is set against the background of the pre-existing legal and political regime, aiding a full understanding of the effect of the new rules contained in the Lisbon Treaty.

Selected for honorable mention for the European Union Studies Association (EUSA) Best Book in EU Studies Prize