This book investigates the historical evolution and institutional development of the European Union as it transitioned toward the millennium. John Pinder, a recognized expert in European integration, utilizes a structured historical framework to analyze the political and economic shifts that shaped the Union. The text evaluates the progression from the European Community to the modern EU, focusing on the integration processes that defined the late 20th century.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the structural evolution of the European Union during the late 20th century. Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose, which makes complex institutional history accessible to students and general researchers alike.