F-The Economics of Europe and the European Union - for non economists,

Course title: The Economics of Europe and the European Union – for non economists 
Spring term 13

ECTS credits: 7½ ECTS
Duration: Spring 13, 3 hours per week in 14 weeks
Departments: Department of Economics
Contact persons: Martin Dahl, tlf. +45 2820 4936 , Martin.Dahl@econ.ku.dk
Day and time:

Teaching methods: Lectures

Registration:
Exchange students must register with the course registration form for students at Economics and Social Sciences.
 

Aim: This course is an introductory course to the EU, its institutions and its policy areas seen from an economic perspective. The aim is to provide the student with a general “first time” overview of the main economic policy areas of the EU, the rationale behind why they are dealt with in this way at the European level instead of at the Member State or at the regional level, and how the different areas are linked to each other. Besides, the student will be introduced to some of the main theoretical and empirical sources in the study of the economics of Europe and the European Union.

The course is primarily relevant for those students wishing to get systematically introduced on a first time basis to the EU’s unique apparatus seen from an economic perspective. As such the course may be regarded as an appetizer or a road map into the fascinating but complex study of EU’s Economic Integration.

Course description: Since it is an introductory course to the economics of Europe and the EU, an important part of the course is used to familiarize the student with the impressive EU apparatus, its institutions, their role, the relationship between the EU and the Member States, the local and regional level – all however seen from an economic perspective. Apart from this, the course deals with two focus areas of the economics of Europe. The Single Market and The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). In order to analyse these two areas, the course goes through the economic history and theoretical foundations of the two areas, including an introduction to the essential economics of preferential liberalization with specific reference to free trade areas and customs unions like the EU. Specific areas such as EU competition and state aid policieis, EU trade policies, the common agricultural policy (CAP) and regional policies are introduced. As regards the EMU, the monetary history of the EU, the theories behind monetary and fiscal policies in the EU, and last but not least the Stability and Growth Pact and the Euro-Pact is introduced to the student. In order to give the student a better feeling of the workings of these policy areas, some specific Member State – EU examples are used, looking for instance, at the economics and the role of EU in the German unification, Italy’s move to the Euro, the Greek debt crisis etc.

Recommended qualifications: The course is targeted at students interested in getting a first time understanding about Europe and its economy, and in particular the EU and its institutions seen from an economic perspective. It does not require any advanced economic skills and can for instance be recommended for foreign students with little or no previous experience in studying the economics of the EU. The course could also be taken as part of a preparation for the course the Economics of the EU, provided at the Institute of Economics. Importantly, taking the latter course would also require some additional micro- and macroeconomic knowledge, that notably is not required for our course here on the Economics of Europe and the EU.

Assessment: Oral exam
Course homepage: To register for on the course website please log on to Absalon via www.punkt.ku.dk  and search for the course in the Course catalogue.
Teaching language: Only English
Readings – spring 2012

Baldwin, Richard and Charles Wyplosz: The economics of European Integration, 3.nd edition, 2009: Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. (with some selected exemptions in each chapter)

Neal, Larry. The Economics of Europe and the European Union. Cambridge. 2007. Chapters 12-20.

Gros and Thygesen. European Monetary Integration. Second edition. 1992. Part III. The Economics of monetary union. Pp. 261-387.

Dahl, Martin, 2011, Notes on theories of European Integration.

For further information please visit the course website at Absalon. You can find the website by searching for the name of the course under "Courses" - in courses that offer classes besides the lectures have separate websites for lectures and classes, so you will have to sign up twice! Please remember to also sign up for the course at www.punkt.ku.dk during the course registration period, otherwise you will not be able to sit the exam.