The Governing System of the European Union
Part of this Programme
European Studies and International Relations
Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS
Bachelor | Semestral | 6
Year | Type of course unit | Language
1 |Mandatory |Português
Total of Working Hours | Duration of Contact (hours)
150 | 45
Code
ULHT450-14667
Recommended complementary curricular units
n/a
Prerequisites and co-requisites
n/a
Precedences
Não
Professional Internship
Não
Syllabus
1- The evolution of European integration: brief summary; 2 - Theories of integration and theories of European integration: integration and regional integration; functionalism, neo-functionalism; liberal intergovernmentalism; supranationalism; 3- EU governance: concetual definition; the elements of the system; -European Commission: powers of initiative, decision-making and implementation; - European Council: functioning and powers; Implementation; - Council of the European Union: composition and tasks and powers; to COREPER; - European Parliament: the powers of the European Parliament; the political parties of the European Parliament; - Court of Justice: composition; powers; - System policies: redistributive, regulatory, social, macroeconomic and global; - Public opinion: political cleavages; - Pressure groups: employers' associations, trade unions; 4 - The European Union's political system federalism, confederalism or a sui generis federal system?
Objectives
The curricular unit aims to show in general how the European Union's political system works, how decisions are taken and how they are implemented. It also aims to address and publicize the theories of integration at national and international level. It explains the notion of the political system in general, using the tools of Political Science and shows how the European Union has all the elements of a political system. Describes the functioning of the system, presenting and analyzing each of its elements. In the end, it ranks the system by comparing various theories. At the end of the day, students should: know the political system of the Union; describe how decisions are made; explain the theories of integration in general and the European Union in particular; knowledge of the constituent elements of a political system and of the EU system in particular; analyze the EU's governance system; critically evaluate the elements of the system.
Knowledge, abilities and skills to be acquired
The construction of the European Union has been one of the most important bets of the twentieth century. The course unit concerned is intended to describe this process. It begins by presenting the events that surrounded Europe after the Second World War. It refers to the institutional beginnings of the project, then passes through the treaty of the European Union, the Euro and the Treaty of Lisbon in direct relation with the socio-political motivations that are in its genesis. The explanatory theories of the process and the political system of the Union complete the curricular unit. In the end, the student should be able to identify the marks of a political system and the political system of the European Union. It should also know the powers of the European institutions, how decision-making takes place, who initiates legislation, approves laws and implements them. The student should be able to express opinions about the system, classifying it according to theoretical premises.
Teaching methodologies and assessment
Being theoretical-practical classes, there will always be a theoretical dominant supported by a practical dimension. This junction will be materialized in scientific dialogue between teacher and students, but other formal moments of student intervention can be agreed upon. At the beginning of classes, there will always be an initial moment reserved for students. These will be invited to present the relevant topics from the previous class. There will also be room to comment on the events of reality, especially at the beginning of classes. Theoretical classes will be supported and supported by scientific slides and scripts provided and sent by the teacher. There will be two evaluation tests, one of 40% and another of 60%. The second, done at the end of the period, will include the whole matter. There may be other moments of evaluation. Small work on the EU will also be presented.
References
Brose, E., D., ( 2004), History of Europe in the Twentieth Century, Oxford: University Press
Fehousse, Renaud, (1998) The European Court of Justice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
*Hix, Simon, Hojland Bjorn, 2011, The Political System of the European Union, , 3rd edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
*McCormick, John, (2011), european union politics, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
*Neill Nugent, (2010), The Government and Politics of the European Union, 7º edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Neil Nugent, (2001), The European Commission, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Peterson, John, Bomberg, Elizabeth, Decision- Making in the European Union, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Porto, M. Lopes, Anastácio, G., (2012) Tratado de Lisboa Anotado e Comentado, Lisboa, Almedina
*Sande, Paulo de Almeida, 2000, O Sistema Político da União Europeia, Lisboa: Principia.
Wiener, A., and Diez, T., (eds), 2009, European Integration Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford Univ. Press.