The study course provides an overview of various dimensions of European integration from its cultural-historical preconditions to modern institutional construction, focusing on the functioning of the European Union (EU). The study course looks at the history of the EU, evolvement of agreement frameworks, EU governance institutions, EU policies, and topical problems in the EU. The course considers the relationships between Latvia and the EU, the history of Latvia joining the EU, activity in EU institutions, the impact of Latvia's membership in the EU on the development of the economy, policies and its inhabitants. The study course pays attention to the national, regional (EU), and global level, taking into account the perspective of the individual, the EU citizen.
Course contents:
- Europe as a historical and cultural community.
- The beginnings of the European Community.
- The European Union: it's foundation and common values.
- The process of enlargement of the European Union.
- The evolution of the Treaty framework.
- The European Commission.
- How the Council of the European Union works.
- The inner workings of the European Union's Parliament.
- The European law court and other institutions.
- The policies of the EU.
- The foreign relations of the EU.
- Conceptualization of the EU.
- Europe's topical social and political problems.
- The future prospects of the EU.
- Tests.
