European Institutions

Presentation

The curricular gives a full account of all European Union institutions. The focus will be the Social and Economic Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Public Prosecutor, the European Data Protection Supervisor, and the European agencies settled in many European cities. A full account of their emergence, evolution, powers, and importance will be given. Finally, an encompassing perspective of the European Union governance will be put forward.

Part of this Programme

European Studies and International Relations

Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS

| Semestral | 6

Year | Type of course unit | Language

2 |Mandatory |Português

Code

ULHT450-14668

Recommended complementary curricular units

Construction of the European Union

Prerequisites and co-requisites

n/a

Professional Internship

Não

Syllabus

-Introduction- the great war conflicts and the emergence of international institutions; the importance of international and regional institutions in a multipolar world; 

-The central nucleus of European Institutions - the ECSC and the first European institutions; the European treaties and the amendments made to the institutions; powers and political significance of the main institutions of the European Union; 

-The other institutions of the system- European Economic and Social Committee; the Committee of the Regions; European Investment Bank; European Central Bank; European Ombudsman; European agencies; the European School of Administration; Publications Service; EPSO; the bureaucracy of the European Union;

- The functioning of the system: decision-making; institutional relations; importance; bureaucracy  

- Challenges for the new millennium: immigration; extreme right; reforms

Objectives

In the end, students should:

- Be able to report on the whole European institutional arrangement (Commission, European Council, Council of the European Union, European Parliament, European Central Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,  European External Action Service, European Ombudsman, Data Protection Supervisor, the European Agencies, etc.)

- Understand and fully  report on the powers, functioning, and decision-making of all European institutions and agencies

- Understand the European governance in all its dimensions

- Evaluate the importance of the institutional structure of the European Union

- Evaluate the governing system of the European Union

- Evaluate the dimension of the European project, their synergies, and implications

Teaching methodologies and assessment

Students need to develop their critical capacities, structure scientific thinking, and develop the technique of argumentation.  There will be theoretical moments and practical moments. New contents will be fully explained by the teacher.  As a second-year unit, students will play a more effective role. They will prepare and orally present the European institutions under analysis to the colleagues. Students are supposed to work on authentic documents. There will also be study visits to the institutions. There will also be debates. The evaluation will consist of one oral presentation  (30%), one written test (60%), oral interventions and other written elements (10%). Participation in classes will be very important.

References

.

. Cini, M., Borragán, Nieves, P-S.,  2019, European Union Politics, 6th Edition, Oxford University Press.

. Martins, A.M.G, 2017, Manual de Direito da União Europeia, 2ª edição, Almedina

. McCormick, J., 2016, European Union Politics, 2nd edition, Basingstoke, Macmillan Palgrave

. Hix, Simon, Hojland Bjorn, 2011, The Political System of the European Union, 3rd edition, Basingstoke:  Palgrave Macmillan

. Neill Nugent, 2017, The Government and Politics of the European Union, 8º edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

. Silva, António, M. (2013), Sistema Político da União Europeia, Lisboa: Almedina

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