Robert Thomson is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. He has been researching and teaching European Union politics since 1999. He is co-editor of The European Union Decides (Cambridge University Press, 2006) and twenty-five articles and book chapters on European politics. His work has appeared in political science journals including the British Journal of Political Science, the European Journal of Political Research and the Journal of Politics and he is one of the most highly cited political scientists based in Ireland. The author was awarded a Government of Ireland Fellowship for his research on EU politics. As well as academic research, he has conducted applied policy research for national governments and the European Commission. He is director of the MSc in Comparative European Politics at Trinity College Dublin and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of European Public Policy.

• 1. Introducing the political system of the European Union; 2. Research design: measuring controversy spatially; Part I. Inputs: 3. The European Union's political space; 4. The European Commission's policy positions; 5. The European Parliament's policy positions; 6. Member states' policy positions; Part II. Processes: 7. Transforming policy positions into decision outcomes; 8. The relative power of the institutions; 9. The relative power of the member states; Part III. Outputs: 10. Decision outcomes; 11. Delegation; 12. Evaluating and improving the European Union; Appendix: the selection of legislative proposals.

Robert Thomson is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. He has been researching and teaching European Union politics since 1999. He is co-editor of The European Union Decides (Cambridge University Press, 2006) and twenty-five articles and book chapters on European politics. His work has appeared in political science journals including the British Journal of Political Science, the European Journal of Political Research and the Journal of Politics and he is one of the most highly cited political scientists based in Ireland. The author was awarded a Government of Ireland Fellowship for his research on EU politics. As well as academic research, he has conducted applied policy research for national governments and the European Commission. He is director of the MSc in Comparative European Politics at Trinity College Dublin and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of European Public Policy.

• 1. Introducing the political system of the European Union; 2. Research design: measuring controversy spatially; Part I. Inputs: 3. The European Union's political space; 4. The European Commission's policy positions; 5. The European Parliament's policy positions; 6. Member states' policy positions; Part II. Processes: 7. Transforming policy positions into decision outcomes; 8. The relative power of the institutions; 9. The relative power of the member states; Part III. Outputs: 10. Decision outcomes; 11. Delegation; 12. Evaluating and improving the European Union; Appendix: the selection of legislative proposals.

Robert Thomson is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. He has been researching and teaching European Union politics since 1999. He is co-editor of The European Union Decides (Cambridge University Press, 2006) and twenty-five articles and book chapters on European politics. His work has appeared in political science journals including the British Journal of Political Science, the European Journal of Political Research and the Journal of Politics and he is one of the most highly cited political scientists based in Ireland. The author was awarded a Government of Ireland Fellowship for his research on EU politics. As well as academic research, he has conducted applied policy research for national governments and the European Commission. He is director of the MSc in Comparative European Politics at Trinity College Dublin and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of European Public Policy.

• 1. Introducing the political system of the European Union; 2. Research design: measuring controversy spatially; Part I. Inputs: 3. The European Union's political space; 4. The European Commission's policy positions; 5. The European Parliament's policy positions; 6. Member states' policy positions; Part II. Processes: 7. Transforming policy positions into decision outcomes; 8. The relative power of the institutions; 9. The relative power of the member states; Part III. Outputs: 10. Decision outcomes; 11. Delegation; 12. Evaluating and improving the European Union; Appendix: the selection of legislative proposals.