European Union Political System

Recommended Prerequisites

Knowledge on the history of European integration and its main political and juridical milestones   

Teaching Methods

Lectures of systematization of contents, and seminars on the basis of a dynamic of presentation and discussion of studying materials, including work-group, assuring interaction with the students, in order to guarantee an adequate follow-up to the contents of the discipline. The course will also use simulations.

Learning Outcomes

Overall objectives

This module aims to explore and understand the EU’s political and institutional framework as well as its decision-making process. Secondly, it intends to analyse the functional and normative dimensions of the EU’s main public policies. Finally, it attempts to provide a good knowledge of the EU’s political identity and governance practices.

Specific competencies and objectives

-  To understand the founding moments of the institutional evolution of the EU from an historical perspective.

-  To understand the EU as a political actor with a daily presence in the life of European citizens.

-  To critically analyse some of the main EU policies.

Generic competencies

Development of the following competencies: capacity of analysis and synthesis, reading comprehension in English, ability to work in groups.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Part I: 1. The EU between intergovernamentality and supranationality 2. The founding treaties: Rome and Maastricht 3. The reforming treaty: Lisbon 4. Institutions and decision-making processes 5. Public policies

Part II: Practical exercises – problem solving and preparation of policy memoranda.

Head Lecturer(s)

Sarah Carreira da Mota

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Individual and group assignments (60%), in-class presentations (20%) and participation (40%).: 100.0%

Bibliography

CAMISÃO, Isabel; FERNANDES, Luís Lobo - Construir a Europa : o processo de integração entre a teoria e a história. São João do Estoril : Principia, 2005.

EUROPEAN Union politics. Ed. Michelle Cini, Nieves Pérez-Solórzano Borragán. 4th ed.. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013.

LEITÃO, Augusto Rogério - Comunidade Europeia : estudos de direito e de sociologia política. Coimbra : Coimbra Editora, 2005.

CAMPOS, João Luiz da Mota de ; CAMPOS, João Mota de - Manual de direito europeu : o sistema institucional, a ordem jurídica e o ordenamento económico da União Europeia. Coimbra : Coimbra Editora, 2010.

NUGENT, Neill - The government and politics of the European Union. 7th ed.. Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.

REH, Christine - The Lisbon Treaty : de-constitutionalizing the European Union? [Em linha]. Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 47, nº 3 (Jun. 2009), p. 625-650.[acesso via b-on]

ZILLER, Jacques - O Tratado de Lisboa. Alfragide : Texto Editora, 2010