Drawing on archives gathered in the six founding member states of the European Union this book
offers a new perspective on the 'constitutionalization' of the European treaties which was
launched in the 1960s by the Court of Justice of the EU. By highlighting the professional and
personal backgrounds of the first European judges and advocates general its author studies the
dynamics which prevailed within the institution during its 'revolutionary' years and analyzes
the Court's relationship with the Member States of the European Communities. Through a detailed
study of the selection process of the members of the Court it also provides new answers to the
question of whether governments tried to put an end to its bold jurisprudence.
