This volume investigates how European Union member states coordinate their national policies at the European level, specifically focusing on the structures and processes within Brussels. The authors, a team of distinguished political scientists, utilize comparative institutional analysis to examine the permanent representations of member states. By evaluating the organization and performance of these bodies, the text assesses whether a common institutional environment in Brussels has fostered convergence among diverse national policy-making systems.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the mechanics of EU policy coordination. Scholars frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous empirical approach applied to institutional analysis.