Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, a number of commentaries have been published on the revised text of the Treaty on European Union, but none so far in English. This gap has now been plugged by The Treaty on European Union (TEU): A Commentary, edited by Hermann-Josef Blanke and Stelio Mangiameli and published by Springer. It is therefore a particular privilege to have contributed three chapters to this volume, commenting on Article 28 (Council Decisions on Operational Action), Article 29 (Council Decisions on Union Positions) and Article 37 TEU (Agreements concluded by the Union with Third States and International Organizations). Coming in at 1813 pages, the book is not exactly a casual afternoon read, but more of an indispensable reference work for those active in the field of European Union law. Springer describes the book as follows:
The major Commentary on the Treaty on European Union (TEU) is a European project that aims to contribute to the development of ever closer conceptual and dogmatic standpoints with regard to the creation of a “Europeanised research on Union law”. This publication in English contains detailed explanations, article by article, on all the provisions of the TEU as well as on several Protocols and Declarations, including the Protocols No 1, 2 and 30 and Declaration No 17, having steady regard to the application of Union law in the national legal orders and its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the EU. The authors of the Commentary are academics from ten European states and different legal fields, some from a constitutional law background, others experts in the field of international law and EU law professionals.
This should lead to more unity in European law notwithstanding all the legitimate diversity. The different traditions of constitutional law are reflected and mentioned by name thus striving for a common framework for European constitutional law.
