Ian Bond is the Deputy Director of the Centre for European Reform (CER) and was previously a member of the British diplomatic service for 28 years.

Dick Leonard was a journalist, author and former Labour MP.

Robert Taylor was a journalist and foreign correspondent, covering the European Union for more than 30 years.

Introduction Part 1: The background 1. The origins 2. Evolution, 1958-2008 3. Growing pains, growing strains, 2008-2014 4. The years of permacrisis, 2015- Part 2: The treaties, the institutions, how the EU is financed and how decisions are taken 5. The treaties 6. The European Commission 7. The European External Action Service 8. The Council of the European Union 9. The European Council 10. The European Parliament 11. The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 12. The Court of Justice of the European Union 13. The European Court of Auditors 14. The European Central Bank 15. The European Investment Bank 16. Other EU agencies and bodies 17. Staffing the EU: Facts, figures and costs 18. Financing the EU - How it's paid for and what it pays for 19. Decision-making procedures in the EU Part 3: The competences 20. The customs union and trade 21. The internal or single market 22. Research and innovation 23. Competition policy 24. Industrial policy 25. Economic and monetary policy 26. Taxation 27. Agriculture 28. Fisheries 29. Regional policy and cohesion 30. Workers' rights, employment and social policy 31. Energy and climate change 32. The environment 33. Transport 34. Justice and home affairs - The area of freedom, security and justice 35. Fundamental rights 36. Gender equality 37. Education 38. Culture and media 39. Citizenship and symbols 40. Consumer protection 41. Health 42. Development co-operation and humanitarian assistance 43. Neighbourhood policy 44. Foreign, security and defence policy 45. Defence industry and space Part 4: Challenges ahead 46. Enlargement 47. 'Ever closer union' 48. The rule of law 49. Migration and demography 50. The EU's place in the world