THEBACKGROUND Why a book on Europe - Toward the Year 200l? There are two
principal reasons why a European should embark upon such a hazardous
enterprise. First, when the Treaty on European Union (popularly known as
the Maastricht Treaty, and, hereafter referred to as the Treaty in this
introduction) was signed in February 1992, it was agreed that the heads
of government of the EU Member States would assemble, in 1996, to
examine its workings. This meeting will be known as the
Intergovernmental Conference (IGC). Second, by the end of the century,
it is certain that arrangements will have been made for the admission of
some countries of Central and Eastern Europe into the European Union
(EU). Consequently, even with or without the holding of the IGC, it will
be urgently necessary to reform some of the Community's policies -
notably the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the structural poliCies
which are linked, for example, 2 Europe - Toward 2001 with the Regional
and Social Funds - before these countries become members. Failure to do
this could result in bankruptcy for the EU. Of almost equal importance
is the reform of the institutions and the actual workings of the
Community. Already with 12 Member States, it was difficult enough to
manage things on a daily basis. Now, as more countries join the Union,
things could literally grind to a stop. Thus, changes in this area are
indispensable.