Scholars from countries both in and outside of the EU provide a full stocktake of the political and economic benefits of EU membership. They critically assess monetary integration and the path it has followed in the wake of the global financial crisis. Chapters delineate key comparisons between the EU and other governance models, between EU members and non-EU members, and between euro and non-euro member States of the Union. Students of law, economics and politics will benefit from this timely book. It should also be of interest to policymakers around the world who interact with EU countries and those who may be contemplating similar forms of economic and monetary integration in their region.