Enlargement and treaty reform have moved Europe's constitutional debate into the political spotlight. This important new text outlines the main themes of constitutional debate in the EU, analyzes formal and informal constitution-building since the early days of European integration, and introduces the actors and structures behind treaty change.

THOMAS CHRISTIANSEN is Professor of European Institutional Politics at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

Introduction: The Constitutionalization of Europe
Of Rights and Duties: Does Europe Have a Constitution?
Constitutionalizing the European Union: Politics, Law and Discourse
The Role of Actors in EU Treaty Reform
Patterns of Structure in EU Treaty Reform
Agenda-Setting in Intergovernmental Conferences
Decision-Making in Intergovernmental Conferences
Ratification: The Follow-Up to Intergovernmental Conferences
The 'Rise' and 'Fall' of Formal Constitutionalization
Conclusion: Constitutionalization Beyond Lisbon.