Foreword, Jonathan Simon, Introduction. 1. The European monitoring of national penal and prison policies: influence and shaping, Gaetan Cliquennois, Part I: Cooperation, acceptance and integration of the European monitoring. 2. Monitoring prisons in Germany: the role of the European Court of Human Rights, Frieder Duenkel and Christine Morgenstern, 3. The European oversight of France, Corentin Durand, Hugues de Suremain and Nicolas Ferran, 4. The Dutch complaint and appeal procedure for prisoners in the light of European standards, Pauline Jacobs and Anton Van Kalmthout, Part II: Curve and minor resistance to the European monitoring. 5. Marriage Italian Style. A decryption of Italy and ECtHR's relationship concerning prisoners' rights, Giuseppe Caputo and Sofia Ciuffoletti, 6. The European monitoring of Greece, Leonidas Cheliotis and Sappho Xenakis, Part III: Refusal and strong opposition to the European monitoring due to ancient and deep national traditions and political opposition to the European institutions. 7. England and Wales: an uncertain relationship with European institutions, Simon Creighton, Nicola Padfield and Rosaria Pirosa, 8. European Instruments for Securing the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Prisons in the Nordic Countries, Lauri Koskenniemi and Tapio Lappi-Seppaelae, 9. Spain as country not being monitored by the European Court of Human Rights, Esther Pascual Rodriguez and Clara Rey Sanchez, Conclusion. 10. The European monitoring of national penal and prison policies as a dynamical system, Gaetan Cliquennois and Hugues de Suremain