Accidental Constitution: The Making of Europe's Constitutional Treaty [Paperback]

"Mr Norman's [book] is that rare thing, an objective account of the problems facing the European Union. Despite the no votes, his book has by no means been overtaken by events, and should be carefully consulted by those seeking to recover something from the wreck." -- The Economist, June 2, 2005

I find it spell-binding: lucid, informed, caustic and even funny. It will be the definitively authentic chronicle of the Convention... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Norman tells story well. His book deserves to be widely read. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Peter Norman's "Accidental Constitution" occupies a unique position in recent writings about the European Union. Fluent, witty and accessible, this highly acclaimed book, published by EuroComment of Brussels, remains the only authoritative account of the European Convention and the controversial draft Constitution that it produced. Peter Norman has now taken the story of the EU's "Accidental Constitution" further. Subtitled, "The Making of Europe's Constitutional Treaty", the new edition explains the text that must now be ratified by all the Union's 25 member states. It sheds light on the complex political and constitutional issues that the EU's leaders set out to solve and explains why the subsequent negotiations among the member states came close to disaster before ending in agreement. Knowing how the European Union's constitution came about is crucial to understanding a text that could have a profound effect on the lives of 500 million European citizens for decades to come. This book, written by a former bureau chief of the "Financial Times" in Brussels, draws on a wealth of documentary evidence, the insights gained from talking to key participants in the creation of the EU's constitutional treaty and the author's expert knowledge of EU affairs. Aimed at the lay reader as well as the specialist, the book is essential reading for all who want to understand the European Union of today. It is a tale of people and politics. It is also a tale of the unexpected. That is why the book is called the "Accidental Constitution".

Comments by Peter Norman: author of "The Accidental Constitution".

My book tells the story of a great experiment. For 16 ½ months a Convention of 207 men and women from 28 proud nation states met in Brussels to fashion a durable constitution for the European Union. Blending narrative and analysis, I track the twists and turns that led to the publication of a draft constitutional treaty for the Union in July 2003.

It is a tale of people and policies, but above all of the unexpected, which is why the book is called ‘The Accidental Constitution’.

The book was the first comprehensive account of the European Convention when it was published by EuroComment of Brussels at the end of November 2003. It remains unique and provides a deep insight into the workings of the modern European Union. It is also continues to be highly topical. The failure of EU heads of government to reach agreement on the European constitution at their summit meeting in Brussels in December 2003 means that the contents of this book are as fresh and relevant as when it was published.

"I find it spell-binding: lucid, informed, caustic and even funny. It will be the definitively authentic chronicle of the Convention, and a rich source for generations of researchers and commentators for years to come. The complex story is told with such fluency that I will not be the only conventionnel who, having read the book, will understand a great deal more about what we were actually up to." - Andrew Duff MEP and member of the Convention.

"The book makes a fiendishly complicated subject seem easily comprehensible. The twists and turns of the whole enterprise, often unexpected are vividly portrayed. And it tells the tale with a graceful sense of humour. What the book sets out very clearly is the state of the argument in Europe in 2003. No one should in future hold forth on European matters without having read and digested this book." - Sir Roy Denman, retired director-general for external relations at the European Commission and a former European Communities Ambassador to Washington.

"Peter Norman's ‘The Accidental Constitution’ is a masterful, reliable account of the Convention's official proceedings and of the off-the-record discussions that took place. It is an impressive and unique book. I admire
Peter Norman for his ability to provide such vivid insight of those events, as they unfolded. I consider it an ideal guide for a thorough understanding of the Convention's historical significance and results." - Lamberto Dini, former prime minister of Italy, and member of the Convention. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Peter Norman is uniquely qualified to explain the European Convention. He attended all the Convention sessions from its launch on February 28 2002, got to know many Convention members, and reported on the Convention's development in detail for EuroComment of Brussels. He brings to the book deep knowledge and wide-ranging experience of the European Union, gained during 35 years as a political and economic journalist. Peter Norman was a foreign correspondent for a total of 22 years, based at various times in Frankfurt, Bonn and Brussels for Reuters, the Times of London, the Wall Street Journal-Europe and the Financial Times. The most recent of his three assignments to Brussels was as the Financial Times Brussels Bureau Chief and Chief Correspondent between November 1998 and March 2002. He currently lives in London where he contributes leaders to the Financial Times.