Arthur Benz is Professor Emeritus at the Technical University of Darmstadt. He has received the Publius Distinguished Scholarship Award for his research on comparative federalism. His most recent book Understanding Federal Democracy (2026) summarizes his research. Adrienne Héritier is Professor Emerita at the European University Institute. She has published books and journal articles on policymaking and institutional change in the EU and is the recipient of the Leibniz Prize (with H. Willke) of the German Science Foundation, the 2017 award of the International Public Policy Association and the Michael Endres Prize of Hertie School of Governance.

'This ambitious book goes beyond existing institutional theories of European integration by reintroducing agency through an enlightening theorization of EU institutional actors' balancing strategies, which it then applies to an impressive range of empirical cases. In so doing, the book reveals the secret to the EU's resilience, in the top-down and bottom-up dynamics of interaction among EU actors seeking at one and the same to increase their own institutional power while solving the EU's policy challenges.' Vivien Schmidt, Professor Emerita, Boston University and Visiting Fellow, European University Institute

• Preface; Abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Beyond integration and disintegration: widening the research perspective on a multidimensional polity; 3. Institutional power balancing under the community method: conflict and compromise; 4. Institutional power balancing in horizontal interaction and the intergovernmental method: conflict and compromise; 5. Institutional power balancing in administrative policymaking: continuous adjustment; 6. Institutional power balancing in the court system: confrontation and conflict abeyance; 7. Conclusion; References; Index.

Arthur Benz is Professor Emeritus at the Technical University of Darmstadt. He has received the Publius Distinguished Scholarship Award for his research on comparative federalism. His most recent book Understanding Federal Democracy (2026) summarizes his research. Adrienne Héritier is Professor Emerita at the European University Institute. She has published books and journal articles on policymaking and institutional change in the EU and is the recipient of the Leibniz Prize (with H. Willke) of the German Science Foundation, the 2017 award of the International Public Policy Association and the Michael Endres Prize of Hertie School of Governance.

'This ambitious book goes beyond existing institutional theories of European integration by reintroducing agency through an enlightening theorization of EU institutional actors' balancing strategies, which it then applies to an impressive range of empirical cases. In so doing, the book reveals the secret to the EU's resilience, in the top-down and bottom-up dynamics of interaction among EU actors seeking at one and the same to increase their own institutional power while solving the EU's policy challenges.' Vivien Schmidt, Professor Emerita, Boston University and Visiting Fellow, European University Institute

• Preface; Abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Beyond integration and disintegration: widening the research perspective on a multidimensional polity; 3. Institutional power balancing under the community method: conflict and compromise; 4. Institutional power balancing in horizontal interaction and the intergovernmental method: conflict and compromise; 5. Institutional power balancing in administrative policymaking: continuous adjustment; 6. Institutional power balancing in the court system: confrontation and conflict abeyance; 7. Conclusion; References; Index.