Course Overview
Information about the programme's courses
First semester 2011-2012
During the first semester students will follow four compulsory basic courses each designed to explore the state-of-the-art developments in its own field. Whilst each course maintains its own unique identity, their content has been designed to produce an integrated interdisciplinary core of overlapping and mutually reinforcing conceptual tools of analysis. In addition there is a "methods course"and a European seminar.
Contemporary Problems, Sources and Methods in EU Research (5504VRES)
This course is in two parts. One part consists of a series of classes on qualitative and quantitative approaches to research, and will include a 'hands-on' inrtoduction to statitsice. A second component will take the form of a series of "how to" classes addressing problems of research and research design. During the first semester students will be expected to write a fully annotated essay on the state of research in the subject area of their eventual dissertation. Students will be introduced to the libraries and depositaries in both Leiden and the Hague.
Economics of the EU (5504VECO)
Arguably, European Integration has been most succesful in the economic domain. The member states succeeded in creating a customs union and are working hard to achieve an internal market in goods, services, labour and capital. Gradually, the appeal of an economically integrated Europe widened the EU to 27 member states, from its original 6 in 1957. In this course, we will analyse the benefits of economic integration as well as the conditions that need to be fulfilled and the steps that need to be taken to achieve a truly internal market.
European Law (5504VLAW)
This course intends to give students an understanding on how EU law shaped EU Integration. It will be seen that the Court of Justice of the European Union played the role of integration motor along side the political movements with in the Union. The basics of EU law will pass the review. First in a theoretical framework, by a series of lectures and then in a practical way. The students will be role playing fictitious cases in different areas of EU law. In that way the course will not only give a theoretical foundation of EU law but also show how EU law is used in the EU of today. For more information download this pdf-file.
European Seminar
This course will run on a fortnightly basis throughout the two semesters. The guests at these seminars will either be leading academics who will be asked to discuss their research or leading politicians or officials from national government or international organisations who will be asked to discuss aspects of current affairs. In the second semester, these seminars will also be used for students to present their dissertation work. See the time-table for more details.
History of European Integration (5504VHIS)
This course will examine the creation of Europe’s post-war international institutional architecture. It will assess the contemporary interpretation of the problems they were supposed to address, the problems with which they were actually confronted and their degree of success in meeting them.
Institutions of the EU (5504VINS)
During this course the focus will be on the functioning of the EU’s institutions and the methods of decision-making within the EU. Since its start in the fifties, the EU has evolved into an ever more important multilevel system of integration – important, both in terms of its capacity of decision-making and its scope of policies. During the course the students will be provided with an understanding of the (institutional) structure of the EU and its functioning by studying the most important theories regarding the dynamics of the integration process, in particular with regard to the role of the EU-institutions and their interplay and the balance between the EU-institutions and the member states.
Second semester 2011-2012
During the second semester students will choose three intensive seminar courses from a range of possible choices. The exact range of courses offered will depend on the student numbers and the choice will be made on the basis of consultation with students and on the availability/commitments of the staff. These courses will all be problem-oriented and interdisciplinary in nature, although each student may choose his or her own disciplinary accent within the written papers. As far as possible, these courses will be taught by practitioners who are brought in from outside the university. They include former ministers, members of parliament, ex-MEPs, present or former high ministerial functionaries, members of government advisory bureaus and a member of the supreme court. Their practical expertise offers a valuable added dimesion to the more academic expertise aquired in the first semester. The courses will focus on the following issue areas:
Citizen's Rights (5504KCR)
Mr. dr. K. Heede
The course 'Citizens' Rights' is a 5-ECTS course in the form of a Moot Court. The idea behind the course is that students familiarise themselves with the rights of individuals in the EU in general and focus on four specific rights through four moot court cases.
A moot court set-up enables students to learn how to perform, in groups of maximum 3 students, under time pressure while solving complicated legal questions both orally and written without any indication from the lecturer or a list of recommended reading material. By changing the roles of the groups, the students will learn to plead a case (when they act as applicant or defendant), to rule on a case (when they act as the court) and to criticize a court's ruling (when they act as the press team).
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Communication and Lobbying (in) the EU (5504KCL)
Peter Sluiter
With the broadening and deepening of EU competences (most recently: Lisbon Treaty and current debates on the fiscal and financial crisis), a growing number and variety of interest groups try to have an impact on EU policies and their implementation: companies, non-governmental organisations, parastatal institutions, regional interests, etc. In addition to, and interplay with these institutional outsiders, no less intra-institutional lobbying takes place between and inside the Commission, Parliament and Council, advisory bodies etc. With a focus on real life phenomena and developments, this course will also reflect on the current state of theorising on EU decision making and issues of research methods.
Suggested reading material can be found in this pdf
European Environmental Policy (5504KENV)
Mr. T.F.M. Etty LLM
Over the past four decades, EU environmental policy has flourished from an ‘inofficial’ policy without a specific legal basis in the EU treaties, as a by-product of economic integration, to one of the ‘core’ areas of EU policy-making, which moreover must be ‘integrated’ into all the EU’s other policies. Today, the environment is one of the most densely regulated EU policy fields and raises numerous questions including as regards the efficiency of decision-making, implementation and enforcement practices, the quality and transparency of regulatory output and input, the effectiveness of the policy in improving the state of the environment in Europe, the legitimacy of regulatory activity in the EU multi-level context, and the role of the EU in international environmental politics and global sustainable development.
This course has four main objectives:
- To familiarize students with the fundamental concepts that govern EU environmental policy and law - its main actors, principles (incl. Precautionary principle), and procedures; as well as to facilitate an understanding about how those concepts are translated into EU Member States legal orders;
- To review the policy-making process in this exemplary policy field, through a general introduction and overview of the body of EU environmental instruments, as well as more in-depth case studies of policy areas (e.g. climate change, GMO foods & agricultural biotechnology) which are of growing importance to the EU’s objective of attaining sustainable development, while also bearing significant implications for internal market trade and the EU’s global competitiveness.
- To situate EU environmental policy-making in the context of both national and international dynamics, including the inevitable trade and environment conflict within the EU and WTO, and to explore how the EU operates in the global political arena.
- To provide a foundation and an interactive platform for students’ individual research projects (essays and presentation) on specific issues of EU environmental policy or law.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
European Foreign and Security Policy (5504KFSP)
Dr. W.F. van Eekelen
The course aims at defining the scope and limitations of CFSP and ESDP in the double context of continuing European integration and changing transatlantic relations. It will trace the historical developments from the Western European Union and European Political Cooperation to the pillar structure of the European Union and to the draft European Constitution.
Attention will be paid to operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan and Iraq as case studies and to European attempts at autonomous crisis management. At the conceptual level the course will focus on the relationship between communitarian integration and intergovernmental cooperation and the modalities of closer cooperation and constructive abstention. In addition, the different solidarity clauses will be discussed including those in the constitution, as well as the European Defence Agency, which will combine requirements, research and technology, procurement and evaluation, and possible scenarios for European action. Another aspect will be the international parliamentary assemblies.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Economic and Monetary Union (5504KEMU)
Drs. I. Petter / Dr. C.J.M. Kollau
Economic and Monetary Union is one of the most dynamic policy area’s in the European Union, both in terms of new players (enlargement of the Eurozone) and in terms of evolving ‘rules of the game’. EMU is intended to be a main pillar of economic growth and stability within the EU. Partly as a consequence of the credit crunch and financial crisis, and the budgetary situation in for example Greece, a revived debate about the functioning of EMU - and its future - has originated, which will receive ample attention during the course.
The guiding questions are: why does Europe need EMU? How does it really work? Does it need improvement, and if so: how? To answer these questions, the course aims to comprehensively acquaint students to (see course outline):
- The OCA theory: costs and benefits of EMU
- Entry criteria to enter the eurozone (i.a. ERM II)
- The Stability and Growth Pact
- Procedures and decision-making
- The ECB and monetary policy
- Institutional design and legislation
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be here)
Energy Policy (5504KENP) (download pdf)
With the acceptance of the Lisbon Treaty, the third pillar of energy policy has become a shared competence of the European Union. In this course we will review the history of energy policy-making in the EC/EU, the current energy policy initiatives and the relationship of energy policy with other governance institutions. In the past decade, energy has again gained strategic importance. High prices (before the financial crisis) and climate change policy have greatly impacted on the governments' involvements in the energy market.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
EU and Parliamentary Democracy (5504KPD)
Dr. B. van den Bos
This course deals with the democratic dimension of EU-decision making. The competences of the European Parliament have been extended through the subsequent revisions of the treaty. There seems to be consensus among politicians and scholars that the European integration has weakened the position of national parliaments. The Treaty of Lisbon, which is now in force, expands the competences of the European Parliament even further. However, the treaty also provides for a possible strengthening of the role of the national parliaments. The background of all these new provisions lays in a widely felt need to enhance the legitimacy of the integration process. This course deals with the democratic dimension of EU-decision making. The competences of the European Parliament have been extended through the subsequent revisions of the treaty. There seems to be consensus among politicians and scholars that the European integration has weakened the position of national parliaments. The Treaty of Lisbon, which is now in force, expands the competences of the European Parliament even further. However, the treaty also provides for a possible strengthening of the role of the national parliaments. The background of all these new provisions lays in a widely felt need to enhance the legitimacy of the integration process.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
EU Competition Law
Dr. B. van Bockel
From the onset, competition law has formed one of the main driving forces behind market integration in the European Union. Knowledge of the EU competition rules and their development is key in understanding important aspects of the ongoing process of European integration. The course provides an introduction to the competition rules and their implementation, and considers competition law in its wider socio-economic context.
The course provides a broad overview of EU competition law and policy. The students are systematically introduced to the constituent competition and state aid rules and the key economic and legal concepts involved in their application: the definition of the relevant market, horizontal and vertical agreements, dominance, abuse, and exclusive rights. The system of enforcement of EU and national competition law is examined in some detail, whereby particular attention is given to questions of fundamental principles of EU law, such as trial and double jeopardy in competition proceedings.
The course then turns to the wider debate on the future direction of economic integration in the EU and it's implication for competition matters. As we will see, competition law revolves around a particular notion of how markets work, and what they will bring if they function properly. This "foundational model" is however increasingly challenged by the present economic crisis, and by issues such as the depletion of scarce resources, and the environmental cost of economic growth. There are many questions and issues to be considered here. Do environmental, social, and other considerations have a place in EU competition law and policy? What are the stated aims of competition law and policy in the EU, and how do these relate to the widespread criticism of capitalism and economic governance in the EU that we are presently witnessing?
European Neighbourhood Policy (5504KNEI)
Prof. Dr. J. Rood
In 2004 the EU launched the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in order to deepen and strengthen the relations with neighbouring countries. It is an overarching policy that includes both the Southern and the Eastern neighbours of the EU: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. The goal of the ENP is to achieve stability in these states. The EU wants to encourage stability in its neighbouring area, in order to prevent ‘spill-over’ of instability into the EU.
Since its inception the ENP has evolved further, partly in response to the criticism that it was not effective and that more differentiation between the Southern neighbouring countries and those in the East was needed. The aim of this course is to offer the students insight into the ENP in general, its evolution since its inception, the main goals and policy areas of ENP and its effectiveness.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
International Trade Policies of the EU (5504KITP)
Dr. W.L.E. Queadvlieg
The aim is to introduce to the students the international economic environment of the EU and the position that the EU occupies in this environment. To that end, after a discussion of the phenomenon of globalisation and some basic features of the world economy of today, the rules governing the multilateral trade system of the WTO will be discussed.
Furthermore, the external economic competences of the EU, and the main features of the common commercial policy will be dealt with, as well as the relation between EU and WTO. The course will further elaborate on the developments in the WTO since its creation in 1995, and more especially the results of the Ministerial Conferences of Seattle, Doha, Cancún and Hong Kong and the position of the EU in these negotiations. In this framework, also the position of developing countries in the WTO will be taken into account.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Implementation of EU Policy (5504KIEU)
Prof. Dr. B. Steunenberg
When the Council of Ministers and other legislative actors in the European Union have agreed on a new directive, this policy instrument has a long way to go before it is finally implemented. To become ‘law in action’ the new directive first has to be transposed into national legislation. Then, the new rules have to be applied by the implementing agency or administration. Finally, the rules have to be monitored and enforced. If somewhere along this road a problem arises so that this process is not completed, the directive is not fully implemented. In other words, the implementation of EU directives is a complicated process in which various decisions have to be taken by different national and sub national actors as well as by the implementing administration or agencies.
This seminar focuses on how EU policy, as specified in a directive, is implemented in member states. As part of this course, students need to analyze an implementation process in one of the EU member states. This assignment includes a description of the decision making process at the European level, the process of transposition in a member state and the subsequent implementation process.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Refugees, Migration and Justice (5504KRMJ)
Prof. Dr. J.K. Wiebenga
The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the structure, the functioning and the prospects of the common EU asylum and migration policy. This policy will be studied within the context of the area of freedom, security and justice. We will focus on immigration policy, on asylum policy and we will also examine the legal instruments. Part of the course will entail a case-study of an EU directive.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Russia and the EU (5504KEUR)
Prof. Dr. V. Sergeyev
Russia has a special relationship with the European Union in the form of a strategic partnership. However, as the rhetoric begins to resemble to 'cold war' dialogue more than that between potential allies this seems hard to believe. This course examines the increasingly strained relationship between Russia and the EU where challenges on regional security and energy supplies aggravate the decision-making context. However, neither the EU nor the Kremlin are decision-making monoliths and the threat perception varies within each. This course deepens students' appreciation of the world as seen from the Russian perspective as well as the range of responses available to Western European countries.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)
Social Policy (5504KSEP)
Dr. D. Oude Nijhuis (his CV in pdf)
The European Union is founded on the belief that sustainable economic growth can advance alongside – and even demands – high levels of social rights, protection and cohesion. The aims of the course are to define the challenges currently facing "Social Europe" and to see whether these challenges are best met at a European or national level. Many of the challenges are directly related to the process of European economic integration in general (i.e. the problem of social dumping) or specific policy areas (i.e. enlargement and the monetary union). Others are simply common to all member states and are increasingly addressed by European-level policies (i.e. the problems of high unemployment, poverty, and population ageing). The course assesses these challenges by drawing on concepts from various disciplines, including political economy, law and history. In doing so it explores whether the two major projects of the postwar period, building a Social Europe and an internal market, can be reconciled.
(suggested materials for essays and presentations can be found here)