This book is an accessible introduction to European monetary integration which provides a historical background to current debates, as well as an analysis of future developments. Further features of this book include:

* a chronology of economic and monetary unification from 1958-1999

* clear non-technical presentation of the economic issues regarding the costs and benefits of creating a monetary union

* detailed presentation of the economic and legal framework for the changeover to a single European economy

* evaluation of the Maastricht Treaty's plan for monetary union

* an overview of the debate between the federalist approach and the inter-governmental co-operation approach towards economic and political integration of Europe

* a set of questions and exercises illuminating the more technical parts of the book

European Monetary Integration 1958-2002 is an excellent resource for all those who want to discover the facts about European monetary integration which lie behind the heated political rhetoric.