What political challenges will Europe face in the years to come? How can the decades-old unification process, the so-called European project, build up new momentum? Although citizens in the various member countries seem to be mostly skeptical about life under a central government, the debate over the United States of Europe goes on.

This book summarizes the Bertelsmann Stiftung's most important analyses of the European project. It covers a wide range of issues, including the role of the euro, the EU presidency, and Russia's stance toward the Mediterranean Union. Bolstering their arguments with charts and illustrations, the contributors provide valuable information and food for thought on democracy, economics, and shifting values. Their aim is to foster dialogue among concerned laypeople and specialized experts.

Contributors include, among others, Joschka Fischer (Joschka Fischer Consulting; former vice chancellor and secretary of state of Germany), Guy Verhofstadt (European Parliament; former prime minister of Belgium), and Wolfgang Schüssel (former chancellor of Austria).