Student guide Facoltą di Economia A.A. 2007/08

Economics of European Integration
Lesson timetable, Notice board, Additional material
Lecturers
GRAZIANI GIOVANNI
Aim of the course
This course analyses the economic process of European integration, stressing the main stages of integration both from the microeconomic and the macroeconomic point of view. The aim is to allow the student to understand the basic structure of the European Union and its most important policies.
Prior completion of basic microeconomics and macroeconomics courses.
Syllabus
  1. Europe in the world economy (SN ch.1; BW ch.2)
  2. Historical evolution of European economic integration (SN ch.2; BW ch.1; AN ch.1)
  3. The community institutions and the budget (SN ch.3, 9: BW ch2)
  4. The customs union and the common external tariff (SN ch.1, 4, 5; BW ch.4, 5; AN ch.3)
  5. The EU and the WTO (SN ch.17)
  6. The Common Agricultural Policy and its reform (SN ch.10; BW ch.9; AN ch.5)
  7. The internal market and the problem of its completion (SN ch.6; BW ch.6, 7)
  8. The European Union’s competitiveness vis-à-vis the USA and Japan. (SN ch.15; AN ch.6)
  9. European monetary integration: from EMS to Euro (SN ch.8; AN ch.12)
  10. The theory of Optimum Currency Areas and the costs of a common currency compared to its benefits (SN ch.8; DG ch.1, 2, 3, 4)
  11. The European Central Bank and the making of monetary policy (SN ch.8; DG ch.7, 8)
  12. Maastricht Treaty, Stability and Growth Pact and fiscal policies in the EU (SN ch.8; DG ch.6, 9)
  13. The recent enlargement and its possible impact (SN ch.20; AN ch.4;)
Examinations
Written final exam:100%. The exam will be based on the lectures given during the course.
Reading list
Those who wish to deepen their understanding of the issues involved may address the following Reading list:
 
  • Artis, M., Nixson, F., (from now on AN), The Economics of the European Union, Third Edition, Oxford University Press, 2001.
  • Baldwin, R., Wyplosz, C., (from now on BW), The Economics of European Integration, McGraw-Hill, 2006
  • De Grauwe, P., (from now on DG), Economics of Monetary Union, Oxford University Press, 2005
  • Senior Nello, S., (from now on SN), The European Union, McGraw-Hill, 2005