European Institutions and Policies

Teacher(s)

de Wilde d'Estmael Tanguy; Laborderie Vincent (compensates de Wilde d'Estmael Tanguy);

Language

French

Main themes

This course constitutes a first approach of the different international organizations operating on the European territory (Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union in particular). It is a specific introduction to the study of the most elaborate political and institutional system: that of the European Union. Painting a picture of the current (Pan-)European, Euro-Atlantic or Euro-Asian organizations, the course aims at distinguishing and characterizing them according to the typology of organizations. It establishes their genesis, objectives, competences, institutional specificities, means of action and, if the case arises, their interactions in determined fields such as the prevention or management of crises and conflicts. The stress put on the European Union implies a presentation of the powers of the principal institutions, while shedding light on the specificity of the Community method and the more intergovernmental modalities as far as the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Police and Judicial Cooperation are concerned. The double dimension of economic integration and political union of the European Union will be emphasized through the examination of the internal policies of the EU, the stakes of the area of freedom, security and justice, and the dimensions of the external action of the European Union, including the aspects of security and defense.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	The course should enable the student to distinguish the different international organizations operating on the European territory (Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union in particular). A specific objective of the course is to understand the most elaborate political and institutional system: that of the European Union. The acquired knowledge should enable the student to understand the main European organizations, Euro-Atlantic or Euro-Asian, to understand their origin, raison d'être, composition, institutional apparatus, the nature of their competences granted and the extent of their means of political action. In addition, the student will be able to perceive the interaction of these different organizations in the framework of determined policies such as the protection of minorities, the prevention or management of conflicts.

Content

Plan of the Course: Introduction: Definitions, Subject, Objectives of the Course
A. Conditions of Emergence, Composition and Political Evolutions of the Main European Organizations 
1. Genesis of the Main European Organizations: 1945-today
2. Evolutions of NATO
3. Evolutions of the OECD
4. Evolutions of the OSCE
5. Evolutions of the Council of Europe
6. Evolutions of the EC/EU
B. Political and Institutional Analysis of the EU
The EC/EU The Institutional Structuring (the Temple) The Main Institutions (the Triangle) The Typology of Acts The Decision-Making Process The Content of Policies 2
Comparison with the Pattern of Institutional Approach of the Other European Organizations (NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe)
The EU and its future : Debate on the current challenges

Other information

Prerequisites (ideally in terms of competences): introduction to Political Science
Oral or written examination depending on the circumstances (namely sanitary situation)

Teaching materials

• Synthèses du cours disponible sur Moodle

Faculty or entity

ESPO