This work investigates how the European Court of Justice transformed the Treaty of Rome into a constitutional framework for the European Union. Alec Stone Sweet, a professor of political science and law, utilizes institutionalist theory to analyze the evolution of European legal integration. He argues that the court acted as a strategic actor, leveraging judicial activism to expand its own authority and the scope of European law over national legal systems.

Scholars frequently cite this text as a foundational analysis of the judicialization of European politics. Readers often note the high level of academic rigor and the technical nature of the legal arguments presented throughout the chapters.