The Economic Integration of Europe

A fast-moving narrative of Europe's post-war successes, challenges and, yes, failures too, as the continent's leaders sought to rebuild, redesign and to embed cooperation at the very heart of the EU enterprise. -- Stuart P. M. Mackintosh * Financial World * This book is both important and timely...It is an incredibly concise and well-written history of the origins and growth of the EU. The mix of history, politics, and economics is fascinating...A thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile read. -- Robert Breunig * Economic Record * Written by one of the world's experts on the subject, this book accomplishes the amazing feat of succinctly reviewing and analyzing all dimensions of the complicated process of European economic integration from its origins through the COVID-19 pandemic. It is arranged to inform professional economists and non-economists alike; it is a superb text for students at all levels and an excellent reference for scholars interested in the economics of European integration. -- Michael G. Plummer, Director of SAIS Europe, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies Written by a well-known economist and specialist in forms of market integration on several continents, this accessible book is an ideal non-technical guide to European economic integration for political scientists, lawyers, and students of international business and contemporary history. It is also suitable as a foundation for an introductory course for undergraduate economic students. Richard Pomfret combines a pleasant style of writing with an ambitious step-by-step account of the deepening and widening of European economic integration over six decades, with lots of telling examples illustrating the building blocks of the analysis. Highly recommended. -- Jacques Pelkmans, Senior Fellow at CEPS, Brussels, and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Bruges, and Goethe University, Frankfurt The way countries integrate among themselves has changed enormously in the past two decades and this is evident, more than anywhere else, in the European Union. In The Economic Integration of Europe, Richard Pomfret offers an original, concise, and timely assessment of this process so far. It is required reading for scholars and policymakers who want to understand the unique institutional history of this integration project. -- Nauro F. Campos, University College London Richard Pomfret brings together history and economic analysis to enable the reader to take an informed view of how European integration is likely to evolve in the years ahead. It is an indispensable source for general readers and specialists alike. -- Michael Leigh, Adjunct Professor, Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Europe, Fellow, Bruegel