In the recent period the political and security infrastructure in Europe has changed dramatically, in particular after the collapse of communism in Central and Eastern Europe. This has resulted in a process of transformation not only within the former socialist countries, but also in the various political and security institutions. The fundamental change in the political landscape in Europe has also affected the Western European Union (WEU): from a more or less dormant organization it developed in the 1990s into the `defence arm' of the European Union and the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance.
The changing functions of WEU, which became clear especially after its `reactivation' in 1984 and the conclusion of the Maastricht Treaty (1992), are reflected in this volume. Apart from all major documents the book contains a short introduction on the purposes, institutions and possibilities of WEU. The texts are made accessible by an extensive subject index.