This title looks at the role of the European Union from its conception to present day. It covers what the European Union is and the benefits of membership, how it came to be what it is today, its key institutions and their role, and ends by looking at future developments. At the end there is an activity which aims to challenge the reader to find out more about the European Union and the countries which belong to it. This title can be used as a resource for the Key Stage 3 (11-14 years) Citizenship National Curriculum which requires young people to study the role of the European Union. The text also provides a resource for the "world study after 1900", part of the Key Stage 3 History National Curriculum, where the development of the European Union is a suggested area of study.