Institutions
of the European Union
Syllabus
and Requirements
University of Siena,
Faculty of Political Sciences, Centre for the Study of Political Change, Master
Programme “Politics in Europe”
October
2000 - January 2001
Federica Bicchi (bicchi@iue.it)
Content
of the module
This
module offers a critical overview of the institutions of the EU. The course has
two aims. First, it is designed as an introduction to the institutional
structure of the EU: the main institutions, their composition and functioning,
their role in the EU framework. The course will analyse in depth on the
Commission, the Council of Ministers, the European Council, the European
Parliament, the European Court of Justice. Attention will be devoted also to the
European Central Bank and the Economic and Social Committee. Mention will be
made of the Committee of Regions and of the other minor institutions. Second,
the course will examine the inter-institutional balance, i.e. the relationship
which occurs between the institutions examined. Use will be made of the policy
cycle to distinguish the role of the institutions at various stages of the
policy process, and the limitations and opportunities that cooperation among
them produces. While no historical analysis will be provided, as it is covered
elsewhere, emphasis will be put on the current trends and developments of the
institutional structure of the Eu.
Aim
of the module
On
completion of this module, students should have an understanding of the
following aspects:
·
Institutional
structure of the EU
·
Composition and
functioning of the main institutions
·
Key purpose of
the minor institutions
·
Decision-making
processes of the EU and role of the main institutions therein
·
Arguments about
principal theories of European integration
·
Authoritative
applications of integration theories to the main institutions
Course
requirements (to
be discussed in the Introductory meeting)
The
course, which will require some private study during the year, will be based on
lectures by the teacher and presentations by the students.
Lectures
will present the main institutional aspects of the EU. They will describe the
organisation and functioning of institutions.
Presentations
by the students and class debate will focus on the interinstitutional balance.
The aim of presentations and debate is to favour the capacity to form
independent opinions by the students, so as to develop analytical skills for
future use in professional life. For the presentation, the teacher will provide
students will a list of key points and questions to which the presentation shall
answer, in order to guide their work.
The
final assessment will be made through a written exam (answering 3 questions out
of 10 provided).
The
overall judgement on the student’s preparation will be:
·
50% written
exam
·
50%
presentation and participation in the class debate
Outline
syllabus and readings
Week
1:
Introductory meeting
Organisation
of the course and discussion of the requirements.
The
two axis by which to study the EU institutions.
·
Howlett,
Michael/Ramesh, M. (1995) Studying Public
Policy. Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems. Oxford Univ. Press - Chap. 1 (especially
pp. 9-17 on the policy cycle)
·
Cram, Laura/Dinan,
Desmond/Nugent, Neill (1999) Developments
in the European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 1
·
Rosamond, Ben
(2000) Theories of European Integration.
Macmillan - Relevant chapters
Week 2:
Lecture:
The Commission. The lobby system of
the EU
·
Cram, Laura/Dinan,
Desmond/Nugent, Neill (1999) Developments
in the European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 3
For
reference:
·
Cini, Michelle (1996) The European Commission. Leadership.
Organisation and Cultrue in the EU Administration. Macmillan
·
Nugent, Neill, ed. (1997)
At the Heart of the Union: Studies of the
European Commission. Macmillan
Week 3:
Presentations by students:
·
Reading 1:
Nugent, Neill (December 1995) “The leadership capacity of the European
Commission” in Journal of European
Public Policy. Vol.2, n.4 (2 people)
·
Reading 2:
Rometsch, dietrich/Wessels, Wolfgang (1997) “The Commission and the Council of
the Union” in Edwards, Geoffrey/Spence, David, eds. The European Commission. 2nd ed. Cartermill (2 people)
Lecture:
The lobby system of the EU
·
Richardson,
Jeremy, ed. (1996) European Union. Power
and policy making. Routledge - Chap.10 on interests groups
·
Hix, Simon
(1999) The Political System of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 7
Week 4:
Lecture:
The Council of Ministers
·
Nugent, Neill
(1999) The Government and Politics of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 7
·
Richardson,
Jeremy, ed. (1996) European Union. Power
and policy making. Routledge - Chap.7
For
reference:
·
Hayes-Renshaw,
Fiona/Wallace, Helen (1997) The Council of
Ministers. Macmillan
·
Westlake,
Martin (1995) The Council of the European
Union Cartermill
Week 5
Presentations by students:
·
Reading 1:
Keohane, Robert O./Hoffmann, Stanley, eds. (1991) The New European Community. Decisionmaking and Institutional Change.
Westview Press - Chap. 4 (2 people)
·
Reading 2:
Moravcsik, Andrew (Winter 1991) “Negotiating the Single European Act: national
interests and conventional statecraft in the European Community” in International
Organization, vol.45, n.1 (2 people)
Lecture:
The importance of the Presidency. The priorities of the current French
presidency
·
Hayes-Renshaw,
Fiona/Wallace, Helen (1997) The Council of
Ministers. Macmillan - Chap. 5
Week 6:
Lecture:
The European Council
·
Nugent, Neill
(1999) The Government and Politics of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 8
·
Bulmer, Simon J
(Fall 1996) “The European Council and the Council of the European Union:
Shapers of a European Confederation” in Publius, Vol.26, n.4
For
reference:
·
Werts, Jan
(1992) The European Council.
North-Holland
Presentation by students:
·
Hayes-Renshaw,
Fiona/Wallace, Helen (1997) The Council of
Ministers. Macmillan -
Chap. 6 (1 person)
Week 7:
Lecture:
The European Parliament.
·
Nugent, Neill
(1999) The Government and Politics of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 9
·
Cram, Laura/Dinan,
Desmond/Nugent, Neill (1999) Developments
in the European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 4
For
reference:
·
Westlake,
Martin (1994) A Modern Guide to the
European Parliament. Pinter.
·
Corbett,
Richard/Jacobs, Francis/Shackleton, Michael (2000) The European Parliament. John Harper Publishing.
Week 8:
Presentation by students:
·
Reading 1:
Westlake, Martin (September 1998) “The European Parliament’s Emerging Powers
of Appointment” in Journal of Common
Market Studies, Vol.36, n.3 (1 person)
·
Reading 2:
Neunreither, Karlheinz (1998) “Governance without Opposition: The Case
of the European Union” in Government and
Opposition. Vol.33, n.4 (2 people)
Lecture:
The European parties
·
Hix, Simon (May
1998) “Parties and elections in the European Union” in European
Review, Vol.6, n.2
Week 9:
Lecture:
The
European Court of Justice
·
Nugent, Neill
(1999) The Government and Politics of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 10
·
Cram, Laura/Dinan,
Desmond/Nugent, Neill (1999) Developments
in the European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 5
For
reference:
·
Dehousse,
Renaud (1998) The European Court of
Justice. The Politics of Judicial Integration. Macmillan
Presentation by students:
·
Reading 1:
Starr-Deelen, Donna/Deelen, Bart (Fall 1996) “The European Court of
Justice as a Federator” in Publius,
Vol.26, n.4 (2 people)
Week 10
Lecture:
The ECOSOC. The European Central Bank.
Other institutions
·
Nugent, Neill
(1999) The Government and Politics of the
European Union. Macmillan - Chap. 10
Week 11
Lecture:
Theoretical
considerations: interinstitutional balance and the process of integration
Week
12
Written exam
Guidelines
for a successful presentation
What
does the author say
Why
is it important / interesting
Prepare
1 page sinopsys for the rest of the class
I
will prepare 1 par. for the students to guide them in the analysis