UCL - European budget

[EUSL2705]

[15h] 3 credits

Teacher(s): Magali Verdonck

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The course aims at providing the students with tools to analyze and understand the EU budget. It should help the students understanding the main issues related to the various aspects of the budget. Ultimately, the students should be able to develop a personal view on current EU Budget debates based on arguments examined in the course.
The course also provides the students with tools and information as to how EU financing can be obtained for projects.

Main themes

- History of the EU budget.
- Process and decision leading to the EU budget.
- Content of the EU budget (spending and revenue).
- Current debates on the budget.
- Foreseeable evolutions.
- Sectoral policies and EU budget.

Content and teaching methods

The course presents first the history of the EU budget. It proceeds with the budgetary procedure, the budgetary principles and the budget structure. The specific content of the EU budget -on the spending and the revenue sides - is then examined in some details. The focus of this first part is the analysis of the main issues at stake in the current budget. Among those issues, there are the EU financing, solidarity instruments, energy and climate policies, CAP and cohesion policies. Lastly, the course examines possible avenues for a reform of the EU budget in the context of the EU Budget Review and the preparation of the multiannual financial framework post-2013.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Support: a detailed table of contents, readings, a copy of the slides and a reference book (European Union - Public Finance, 4th edition).