Formation/Cours

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
– Understand the EU decision-making process;
– Know what skills and ethics are required for effective negotiations in the European Union.

– The treaties and the spirit of the EU: The origins of the EU and the objectives of the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community. Different methods of economic integration: Free trade area; customs union; single market; Economic and Monetary Union. Treaty reforms: Single European Act; Treaty on European Union; (Amsterdam Treaty; Nice Treaty; Constitutional Treaty); Lisbon Treaty.
– Overview of the main institutions and the decision-making process: How the European Commission, Council, and European Parliament operate and fit together. How to influence the EU institutions: Ethics, lobbying exercise and lobbying tips. Using critical thinking and gathering knowledge and resources to make change happen.
– The future of Europe, EU enlargement and institutional evolution: Development of different groups of EU policy areas. Forms of integration: Intergovernmental, neofunctional (Community method), federal. Recent and future EU enlargement; Copenhagen criteria; candidate countries. Future development of the EU Negotiation exercise: Negotiating soft skills.
– Preparing for a negotiation and establishing your position; presentational tips; procedural points. Two rounds of negotiating. Debrief and reinforcement of key learning points to cover: Roles of Presidency, EP, Commission; lobbying; ethics; coordination; operating in an enlarged EU.