The Economics of European Integration

Description

European integration started in early 1950s, and has made significant progress, which is regarded nowadays as the most successful example of regional integration in the world. By enlargement, the membership has increased from 6 to 28 states; and by deepening, integration and harmonization has gradually upgraded from first pillar (community) towards second (Common Foreign and Security Policy) and third pillar (Judicial and Internal Affairs Cooperation).  European economic integration concentrating in the community pillar is the most fruitful field of the European integration, from European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to the European Economic Community (EEC), Custom Union, Single Market and to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), while implementing series of common policies such as Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Common Competition Policy, trade policy as well as reginal policy etc. At the same time it has been facing significant challenges like the sovereign debt crisis and the recent Brexit influencing EU greatly both in economy and in politics.

This course provides an economic analysis of the process and policies, which have driven Europe's economic and political integration, and explores the implications of integration. It also addresses new EU topics, including TPP, TIP, Brexit and their impacts.

LECTURE TOPICS
Following a brief introduction to the institutions shaping European integration, this course provides an economic analysis of its processes and policies, which have driven Europe’s economic integration and social harmonization. The integration process has totally resharpened Europe on one hand, and strongly influenced the world on the other hand. We will analyse this from both theoretical and practical perspectives.  
The course is composed of five parts:

• Part I: An  Introduction of the origin, evolution and prospects for European Union, including its institutions, decision making mechanism, process of internal market etc.,

• Part II: Main Economic Policies of the European Union, covering the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Common Competition Policy, Structural and Regional Policy.

• Part III: Monetary Integration of the EU, focusing on the analysis of the European Monetary System (EMS) and Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Euro and the currency union, and sovereign debt crisis.

• Part IV: External economic relations of EU, including the analysis of trade policy, WTO, FTA negotiations, TPP, TIP and economic relations between EU and its partners such as New Zealand and China.

• Part V: Economic integration and social harmonization, Brexit and its impact.

(Image: "European Investment Bank Luxembourg (view from S)" by Palauenc05, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.