From the point of departure of international relations theory it is not an easy task to come to grips with the European integration process. We are faced with a situation where some of the world's oldest and traditionally most sovereignty-loving nations have surrendered essential parts of their power to a supranational institution. In order to make sense of this the book employs a constructivist framework. Empirically it focuses on the way in which the Community has transformed from a traditional international regime, based on classical international law, to a semi-federal polity where Community law and regulations trump national law and constitutions.

MARLENE WIND is currently Associate Professor of European Integration at the University of Copenhagen. Previously she worked as Assistant Professor at the Danish Institute of International Affairs (DUP) and the Copenhagen Research Project on European Integration (CORE) at the same university.