This brief and accessible introduction to the European Union is ideal for scholars and professionals in government, business, the media, or the non-profit sector who need a concise overview of the structure, history, and policies of the EU. This new edition also provides useful background reading for university and college courses. Andreas Staab offers basic terms and interpretive frameworks for understanding the evolution of the EU; the overall structure, purpose, and mandate of its main constituent divisions; and key policy areas, such as market unification. The entire text has been thoroughly updated to incorporate information about key actors, terms, and new developments, and a new chapter on environmental policy has been added.