European institutions and policies represent an intriguing, yet often confusing set up, whose powers are less than that of a state, but much more than those of a traditional international organisation. It therefore comes as little surprise, that government departments in EU member states but also in candidate and accession countries face the challenge of understanding the working mechanisms of ‘Brussels’ with its dual identity of being a club of 27 states, but also a union of nearly 500 million citizens. 
 

This three-day course aims to provide a precise, coherent and in-depth overview of the European integration process. It offers an insight into the main political and social parameters that shaped the EU over the past sixty years. It also provides an analysis of the EU’s institutional set up and its interaction with member state governments.

 

The course furthermore concentrates on a critical analysis of key policy areas, including the single market, agriculture, cohesion, economic and monetary union, as well as enlargement. Lastly, the course also focuses on the EU’s external dimension with such topics as the common commercial policy and foreign and security affairs.

 

This programme is aimed at governmental, civil society and private sector leaders working on EU integration programmes or willing to understand the basis of EU and their specific role in fostering integration.