publicLecturer : Olivier Marty

Fall Semester 2015/2016

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course aims to provide quite in-depth knowledge of European institutions. It will act as a complement to other Europe-related courses (notably « Questions européennes ») of the « Ecole des Affaires publiques » and is therefore particularly suited for foreign students. The twelve lectures will present all EU institutions (beyond those listed as such in the Treaty) and agencies with more focus on the most important ones. For each institution, the history, powers, governance, and policy issues will be reviewed and connected to the current EU policy agenda. Insight of the institution will be provided by guest lecturers for the most important ones. Three of the lectures will be devoted to three larger themes applying the knowledge of institutions acquired : the past and current reform agenda of the EU institutions ; the interactions of the institutions in managing the global economic crisis and crisis of the Eurozone ; and the EU external agenda (enlargement, development, defence, trade, etc).

COURSE OUTLINE

Lecture 1: Introduction to the course

  • Presentations of the teacher and of the class
  • Introduction to the course and distribution of the course work (presentations and briefing notes)
  • Brief history of European integration & EU Treaties
  • The political context of the 2014 elections
  • Achievements of the 2009-2014 mandate and EU policy agenda over 2014-2020

Lecture 2: The European Commission

  • • Preludes to the European Commission
  • Designation of the European Commission under Lisbon
  • Roles and powers of the European Commission
  • Organisation and critics of the European Commission
  • A tale of several Commissions and achievements
  • The Juncker Commission and its policy agenda for 2015

Lecture 3: The European Commission & The European Parliament

Guest lecturer: Mr Guillaume ROTY, Economic Attaché, French Representation of the European Commission

  • Preludes and composition of the European Parliament
  • Roles and powers of the European Parliament

Lecture 4: The European Parliament

  • Roles and powers of the European Parliament
  • Relations between the European Parliament and national parliaments

Guest lecturer: Mr Nicolas DORGERET, Administrator, Secretariat of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, European Parliament

Lecture 5: The European Council & Council of Ministers

  • The European Council:

– Preludes and institutional role of the European Council
– Composition and role of the President of the European Council

  • The Council of Ministers:

– Preludes and composition of the Council of Ministers
– Roles of the Council of Ministers and the Luxemburgish presidency
– The voting system at the Council of the European Union

Lecture 6: The European Council & Council of Ministers & The European Central Bank

Guest lecturer: Ms Sandrine MENARD, former Adviser to the Minister, Cabinet of the Minister of Ecology, Desk officer for TTIP negotiations at the French Treasury

  • Preludes to the European Central Bank: history of monetary integration in Europe
  • The European System of Central Banks, the Eurosystem, tasks and governance of the ECB, interactions of the ECB with other EU institutions
  • Mandate of the ECB, monetary policy transmission mechanisms and instruments
  • The new tasks of the European Central Bank

Lecture 7: The European Central Bank & The European Investment Bank

Guest lecturer: Mrs Philippine COUR-THIMANN, Principal Economist, DG Research, European Central Bank

  • History, governance, activities of the European Investment Bank, relations with other EU institutions
  • Products of the European Investment Bank: loans, blending, advisory
  • The response of the European Investment Bank to the fi. and eco. crisis

Lecture 8: The European investment Bank & The European Court of Justice

Guest lecturer: Mr Julien SERRE, Policy Advisor, FEMIP, European Investment Bank

  • The sources of European law
  • History of the Court and changes brought by the Lisbon Treaty
  • Composition, competencies and proceedings submitted to the Court
  • The contribution of the Court’s jurisprudence in the making of a Union of law

Lecture 9: The European Court of Auditors & The European economic and social Council & The Committee of the Regions & The EU agencies

Guest lecturer: Mr Yves PASCOUAU, Senior Research Fellow, Institut Jacques Delors & Director, European Policy Centre

  • The European Court of Auditors: history, mission, growing powers
  • The European “Ombudsman”
  • The Economic and Social Council and the Committee of the Regions
  • The EU agencies: history, executive agencies, regulatory agencies (focus Frontex & ESFS)

Lecture 10: The reform of the EU institutions

  • The crisis of European institutions: three problems
  • A tale of institutional reform: from Amsterdam to Nice
  • The EU Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty
  • Current debates on institutional reform (i.a. “Brexit” and Eurozone integration)

Lecture 11: The EU external relations agenda

  • The EU enlargement: history, processes, institutions, prospects
  • The EU development agenda: institutions, strengths and weaknesses, prospects
  • The EU defence and security policy: institutions, achievements, prospects
  • The EU trade policy: institutions, achievements and loopholes, prospects

Lecture 12: The management of the economic crisis and crisis in the Eurozone

  • The roles and interaction of the European Commission, the European Council, the ECB and the EIB in managing the global crisis
  • The crisis in the Eurozone. The creation of the EFSF & ESM. The reform of economic governance.

Guest lecturer: Mr Jean-Pierre VIDAL, Chief economic adviser, Cabinet of the President of the European Council

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