A NEW book examining in detail the issues for the European Union, being discussed during the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), has been published in Dublin.
The stakes are high, according to Professor Brigid Laffan, Jean Monnet Professor of European Politics in UCD who edited the book, Constitution Building in the European Union.
The three main challenges facing the European Union in the coming years are legitimacy, effectiveness and diversity, the study concludes.
The issues, being discussed at the IGC, which started in Turin and continues during the Irish EU Presidency, will become more pressing as the enlargement process gains momentum.
Mr Terry Stewart, Director General of the Institute of European Affairs (IEA), which published the book, said the European Union is entering the next phase of its development and we need to examine "what sort of community it will be, how it will be run and the issue of law and order".
The deputy leader of Fianna Fail, Ms Mary O'Rourke, launched the publication last night. She said it was a well timed and thought provoking book.
"It will provide a great platform and opportunity for serious and constructive debate surrounding all of the issues which will present themselves in the years to come."
It contains contributions from academics, officials of the EU institutions and the media, including the Foreign Editor of The Irish Times, Mr Paul Gillespie, Mr John Temple Lang of the European Commission and Mr Kieran Bradley of the Court of Justice.
Professor Laffan said the volume attempts to analyse the dynamic of European integration.
"The union is in a transitional phase of immense importance to Ireland. The outcome is far from clear as various visions of Europe compete for primacy," she said.
The volume also focuses on the agenda of the IGC and the different proposals for reform that are being discussed.