ABSTRACT
The process of European unity is distinct from all these conceptual structures. The confusion which this can create can be seen in the fact that German constitutional theory has had to employ the type of special construction which Pufendorf once desperately resorted to in order to categorise the Holy Roman Empire-a ‘monstro simile’.1 The Maastricht Treaty is also difficult to lodge within a conventional juridical category. However, recognising its structure is of considerable importance in setting about the task of assessing its impact on economic and social policyand on strategies for collective bargaining.
