This book provides a unique and comprehensive overview of the European Union's many crisis management capacities and explains their origins.

Arjen Boin is Professor of Governance and Crisis Management in the School of Governance at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, and an Adjunct Professor in the Public Administration Institute of Louisiana State University. He is also managing partner at Crisisplan.

1. The EU as crisis manager: a new role for the Union; 2. Assisting overwhelmed states: the evolving use of the Civil Protection Mechanism; 3. The EU as global crisis manager: how emerging tools shaped ambitious policy aims; 4. Managing transboundary crises: the gradual emergence of EU capacity; 5. Managing future crises: challenges and prospects for the European Union.