European integration and Public Policy

This course introduces students to the study of EU public policies and policy processes. It examines why the EU became active in specific policy areas, how these policies evolved, which actors and institutions shaped them, and how their achievements and limits can be assessed. 

The course combines conceptual tools from public policy analysis with selected EU policy fields, including the Internal Market, the Common Agricultural Policy, Cohesion Policy and the EU budget, Freedom, Security and Justice, EU trade policy, digital policy and current challenges facing EU policymaking. Two workshops allow students to apply these tools to concrete EU policy initiatives. 

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• understand the main principles of EU public policy analysis;
• explain the historical development of selected EU policy areas;
• identify the actors, institutions and interests shaping EU policymaking;
• analyse how EU policies are formulated, negotiated, implemented and evaluated;
• critically assess the achievements, limits and contemporary challenges of EU policies;
• conduct a structured policy analysis of a concrete EU legislative act or policy initiative. 

The course combines lectures, interactive discussions and policy-analysis workshops. Lectures introduce the historical development, objectives and governance of major EU policy areas. Workshops allow students to apply analytical frameworks to concrete EU policy initiatives and prepare for the final examination. Active participation is strongly encouraged. 

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

Mandatory readings will be available on the Université virtuelle. They provide examples of academic policy analysis and should be read both for their substantive content and for how they structure an argument.

Recommended handbooks:

• Buonanno, L. & Nugent, N. Policies and Policy Processes of the European Union. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Versluis, E., Van Keulen, M. & Stephenson, P. Analyzing the European Union Policy Process. Palgrave Macmillan. 

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Additional information

Slides and additional teaching materials will be uploaded to the Université virtuelle after each lecture. Students are expected to attend class regularly and take their own notes. 

Contacts

Camille.Nessel@ulb.be 

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Oral presentation

written examination

• Open question with developed answer

Oral presentation

The final grade is composed of:

• Policy-analysis workshops: 40%
• Final written examination: 60%

The workshops are group-based and focus on two EU policy initiatives: the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and the EU Forest Strategy for 2030. The final examination requires students to conduct an individual policy analysis using the analytical framework developed during the course. 

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

The final grade is composed of:

• Policy-analysis workshops: 40%
• Final written examination: 60%

The workshops are group-based and focus on two EU policy initiatives: the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and the EU Forest Strategy for 2030. The final examination requires students to conduct an individual policy analysis using the analytical framework developed during the course. 

Language(s) of evaluation

• english