ESF:MPE_EKEI Economics of EU - Course Information

MPE_EKEI Economics of European Integration

Extent and Intensity

2/2/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. Ing. Martin Kvizda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Tomáš Paleta, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. Ing. Martin Kvizda, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Ing. Tomáš Paleta, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)

Guaranteed by

prof. Ing. Martin Kvizda, Ph.D.
Department of Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Mgr. Jarmila Šveňhová
Supplier department: Department of Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration

Timetable

Mon 14:00–15:50 P104

• Timetable of Seminar Groups:

MPE_EKEI/01: Mon 16:00–17:50 P104, M. Kvizda, T. Paleta

Prerequisites

Previous completing of Economic Policy 1, Macroeconomics 2, and Microeconomics 2 is supposed. The course is intended for the second grade of full-time studies in the field of study Economics, Economic Policy, and Economic Policy and International Relations.

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

This course familiarises students with philosophy, mechanisms and institutions of the common macroeconomic policy of the EU. Lectures combine theoretical premises with their practical implementation and thus enable the student to assume an analytical attitude to the individual measures and judge them critically. The course is classified into the topic areas according to economic and political fields: it gradually covers trade and customs policy, agricultural policy, structural policy, policy of economic competition, transportation policy, environmental policy and social policy. Special emphasis is placed on monetary policy, particularly on the conditions of functioning of Economic and Monetary Union, previous experience and its future perspectives. Throughout the course, the process of enlargement (i.e. the area of regional and cohesion policy) and reforms of EU institutions are explored.
The course is organised in the form of lectures and seminars; the lectures offer a review of the appropriate topics and the subject matter is further analysed and discussed in seminars. Students are asked to prepare brief, specialised seminar papers. Credit requirements: active participation in seminars, seminar paper defence.

Learning outcomes

Absolvents will be able:
* to understand the basic tendencies of the EU economic systems’ development;
* to learn historical context of European integration from the economic point of view;
* to analyze basic macroeconomic as well as microeconomic contingencies of the European integration;
* to delineate and analyze benefits and costs of integration process.

Syllabus

• 1. Microeconomics of European integration – basic instruments in theory and practice, graphic analyses, tariff barriers, protectionism and its costs.
• 2. Preferential liberalization – analyses of discriminatory liberalization, customs union analyses, free trade zones, WTO and EU case studies.
• 3. Market extension - liberalization, defragmentation, and industrial restructuring in theory and practice of the EU. Economic effects of antimonopoly policy.
• 4. Economic growth effects and integration of factors’ market – short-time effects in Sollow analysis, long-time effects and know-how.
• 5. Common agriculture policy – objectives and former aims, problems, reforms and its impacts. Cost-benefit analyses of CAP, proposals and possibilities of further development.
• 6. Regional policy and transport policy – problem of cohesion, geographical singularities and its economic aspects. Costs and benefits of cohesion policies.
• 7. Monetary history of Europe – gold standard, Bretton-Woods, monetary integration. Exchange rate policy and common monetary policy.
• 8. European monetary system EMS – conception, expectations, results, crises. Theory and practice of fixed exchange rate policy of EU countries.
• 9. Optimal currency areas theory – definition, problems, criteria. Empirical analyses of the European Union as currency area, measurement, perspectives.
• 10. European monetary union – Maastricht Treaty, objectives and aims of common monetary policy. European system of central banks – targets, instruments, and strategies, independency of the ECB.
• 11. Fiscal policy and Stability and Growth Pact – national fiscal policies within EMU, externalities, SGP principles, its impacts.
• 12. Financial markets in Euro zone – financial institutions and markets, international signification of the common currency.
• 13. Economic integration and labour market problems – national labour markets and integration impacts, institutions of labour markets, theory and practice of European model.

Literature

required literature
• BALDWIN, R.E. a Ch. WYPLOSZ. The economics of European integration. 6th ed. London: McGraw-Hill, 2022. xx, 458. ISBN 9780077121631.

recommended literature
• MOLLE, Willem T.M. The economics of European integration :theory, practice, policy. 4th ed. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001, xiii, 548. ISBN 0-7546-2195-2. info

Teaching methods

Lectures and class discussions on seminars based on pre-reading of primary sources.

Assessment methods

During semester students elaborate on seminar works which are discussed in seminars. Control test are written in 7th and 13th week. Results of the seminar work as well as of control tests are a part of final evaluation. Final exam is verbal.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Přednášky jsou dostupné online a ze záznamu.
Credit evaluation note: k=2,7.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2024, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/spring2024/MPE_EKEI