Introduction and overview

European

Union

Policies

Minor Book EUP

International Business and Management Studies

Avans School of International Studies

Authors:

Mrs Jannie den Engelsman

Mr Joost Frencken

Mr Hans van Manen

Mr Jacques Vermeeren

Copyright 2010 Avans School of International Studies Breda

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro­duced or copied in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photoco­py­ing, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems - without the prior written permission of the authors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction and overview.................................................................... 5

European Union Policies............................................................................. 5

Competencies and objectives...................................................................... 5

Staff....................................................................................................... 6

Overview and structure............................................................................. 7

Sources................................................................................................... 7

2 Structure of the minor............................................................................ 8

Knowledge line......................................................................................... 8

Tutor groups
................................................................................................................. 8

Lectures
............................................................................................................... 10

Training sessions........................................................................................ 10

Projects................................................................................................. 10

Group projects.......................................................................................... 10

Paper...................................................................................................... 11

Skills line.............................................................................................. 13

English.................................................................................................. 13

Portfolio.................................................................................................. 13

Debating.................................................................................................. 15

Excursion............................................................................................... 15

Assessment................................................................................................ 16

Knowledge line........................................................................................ 16

Projects................................................................................................. 16

Skills line.............................................................................................. 17

English.................................................................................................. 17

Resits.................................................................................................... 17

3 Week schedule......................................................................................... 18

Tasks.......................................................................................................... 19

Task 1: History and decision making.......................................................... 19

Task 2: Internal Market........................................................................... 21

Task 3: European Law............................................................................... 22

Task 4: Euro: in, out or over?................................................................... 24

Task 5: Hey, big spender!........................................................................... 26

Task 6: Men come from Mars, women from Venus?.......................................... 27

Task 7: Competition policy I....................................................................... 29

Task 8: Mergers & Acquisitions I............................................................... 31

Task 9: To eat or to be eaten.................................................................... 32

Task 10: Free movement of people................................................................ 34

Task 11: Competition policy II.................................................................... 36

Task 12: United States of Europe?.............................................................. 37

Appendix: A Statement on Plagiarism..................................................... 38

Introduction and overview

European Union Policies

Since the start of the European integration process in the 1950s, the European Economic Community has evolved into a wider and deeper European Union. The EU now has 27 member states (where it started with only 6) and the impact of the policies and legislation from “Brussels” on our daily lives has increased considerably. A large part of national legislation is influenced and/or determined by European legislation. It is quite likely that this influence will only increase in the near future, despite the Dutch and French “No” against the European Constitution and the Irish “No” to the Treaty of Lisbon.

Even without being aware of it, companies and citizens are influenced by European policies and legislation. Knowledge of the legislation, policies and their background will enable them to respond faster and more adequately to these developments and thus avoid mistakes that might cost them a lot of money.

The minor will deal with the evolution of the European Union, the relation of European business to the growth of the single market, and the importance of policies to ensure competition in a more integrated and enlarged European Union.

Attention will be paid to the institutional, economic, legal and political aspects of European integration and their consequences for businesses.

The 3 pillars of the minor consist of European law, European economics and European politics. After completing the minor, a student should be able to find his/her way in “Brussels”.

During the minor we will focus on a European policy each week, e.g. Competition policy, Internal market policy, Monetary policy, Free Movement etc. Moreover, the minor will include individual tasks and group projects and an excursion to EU institutions. In group projects students will analyse European decision making, (European) legal issues, the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility, Lobbying, Mergers & Acquisitions and Competition law cases.

During the skills training sessions negotiating will be the centre point of attention. Finally, English language skills will be a part of the minor.

Competencies and objectives

General:
The student should understand the evolution of the European Union, the relation of European business to the growth of the single market, and the importance of policies to ensure competition in a more integrated and enlarged European Union.

More specifically:
The student can:

· Describe the history of the European integration and the institutional structure of the EU;

· Describe the stages in the decision making process in the European Union;

· Set up an application for a subsidy directed to a national authority;

· Identify and understand the economic objectives of the integrated European economy and the development of the integration process;

· Explain the legal framework of the EU and the relation with individual national legislation;

· Explain the legal framework of the four freedoms;

· Describe if and how monetary integration will help or hurt European firms and national economies;

· Understand the background, advantages and disadvantages of having a single currency in the EU;

· Understand the requirements and criteria countries have to meet if they join the euro area;

· Understand the background and history of the European agricultural policy, the current problems and the various views if and how to solve these problems;

· Describe and understand the background and the objectives of the European regional policy;

· Describe the structure of a standard regional project;

· Describe the understand the European environmental policy;

· Describe the European policy on equality.

· Describe and identify the two models of corporate governance;

· Explain the relation between a acquisition and an investment decision;

· Distinguish and explain three different basic legal procedures to acquire a firm;

· Explain the classification of acquisitions into horizontal, vertical and conglomerate acquisitions;

· Distinguish and explain the different forms of a take over;

· Understand, explain and describe the motives for companies to merge;

· Describe the EU policy on take over bids and relate it to the models of corporate governance;

· Describe and explain the Volkswagen law and the relation with the free movement of capital;

· Describe the structure of the European competition policy and apply it on individual cases;

· Identify the benefits of a strong and well defined competition policy;

· Describe the problems of controlling (excessive) subsidies given to domestic and foreign firms;

· Describe the problems and opportunities of integrating new countries into an enlarged EU.

· Describe the “road” towards accession of (potential) new member states;

· Describe the various points of view regarding the future development of the EU;

· Describe and understand the most important aspects of the Lisbon Treaty;

· Describe the composition and foundation of the budget of the European Union;

· Describe the basic elements of and the idea behind the industrial policy in the European Union;

· Describe the basic elements of the EU’s social policy;

· Describe in general terms the external policies of the European Union.

Staff

The following lecturers participate in the unit:

· Mrs Jannie den Engelsman (ENJA)

· Mr Joost Frencken (FRJS)

· Mr Hans van Manen (MAJP)

· Mr Peter Pennartz (PEPE)

· Mr Jacques Vermeeren (VEJC)

· Mrs Monique Vermijs (VEMO)

Overview and structure

The minor consists of several tracks:

1. In the knowledge line every week a European business/policy will be the topic of a tutor group meeting, a training session and a lecture. See 2.1 for more information.

2. In the skills training sessions students will deal with debating, negotiating and ethical issues.

3. In project groups students will investigate European decision making, European regional projects, EU subsidies and the problem of public procurement.

4. Students are to write an individual paper in which they investigate a particular problem related to the European Union in depth.

Sources

Compulsory literature:

· European Business Environment, Somers, Noordhoff

· Unlocking EU law, Tony Storey & Chris Turner. Hodder Arnold, second edition

· The website of the EU: www.europa.eu.int

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16