Introduction
The course “Attacking (global) issues on a European level” forms a substantial part of the curriculum (7EC)
of the second year of the Honours College Track of Faculty Campus The Hague. To display the decision making process and problem solving mechanisms on an European level, the course focuses on two issues; human trafficking and The European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSD) – with a special focus on the future of Europe. Important is the connection between theory and practice. The course is as interactive as possible and students are expected to participate actively in the course.
The module starts with the “basics”, to provide the students a similar starting point and basic knowledge. Next, two topical issues are discussed and finally there will be a grande finale in which students participate in a simulation in which they can practice their (new) knowledge in a controlled setting.
Language
The working and instruction language of the module EU governance will be English.
Learning aims
After this module, the students are able to: – describe the decision making process on the European level and its multi-level character; – define the problems/issues in the field of The European Common Foreign and Security Policy and human trafficking; – recognize both theoretical and practical knowledge used to tackle these problems; – name the consequences of the solutions to these problems; – identify the current and future dilemmas of the integration process; – analyze the impact of the EU at the national policy domain and certain professions – describe the importance of national EU co-ordination;
And finally the students develop and train their (EU) negotiation skills.
Assignments
SWOT analysis paper (10% grade)
Diplomatic paper (20% grade)
Final reflectionpaper (70% grade)
Literature:
John McCormick, Understanding the European Union. A concise introduction (6th edition, 2014)
“deepening literature” about CFSP and human trafficking
<http://www.ceps.eu/book/eu-ukraine-russia-sanctions-triangle>
Steven Blockmans, Ukraine, Russia and the need for more flexibility in EU foreign policy making (July 2014)
<http://ceps.eu/book/ukraine-russia-and-need-more-flexibility-eu-foreign-policy-making>
Stephan Keukeleire and Tom Delreux, The foreign policy of the European Union (2nd edition, 2014)
Ana Triandafylidou (ed.), Irregular migration in Europe myths and reality (2008)
Gabriella Lazaridis, Security, insecurity and migration in Europe (2012)
Structure of the course
Session 1: Introduction into Multilevel governance: the EU example
Academic session by prof. Dr. Bernard Steunenberg
Session 2: The(informal) EU decision making procedures
Interactive introduction about the EU institutions, their role and competences, the (informal) EU decision making procedures, the consequences of the new Lisbon Treaty, the role and influence of the capitals and the importance of effective national EU co-ordination. During the lecture several (daily)examples of the influence of the EU in the national policy domain will be used. The two central topics of the course, CFSP and human trafficking, are briefly introduced.
Working form: interactive lecture with ample room for discussion and case studies.
Session 3: Scenario Exercise “Quo Vadis Europe?
After an introduction, the students will analyze in subgroups two actual questions: – What will be the institutional structure of the EU within 25 years? Which structure (federation, intergovernmental, multi-speed Europe, pragmatic etc) will be the optimum solution to keep the integration project governable? How will the institutional structure affect CFSP? – Which countries can still become a member of the EU and which ones not? In other words: can the continent Europe become identical with the EU project and what is then exactly Europe? What will be the impact of membership of the Balkans and/or Turkey on human trafficking?
The students will present their major conclusions plenary, followed by feedback and discussion.
Working form: scenario analysis in subgroups and plenary discussion
Session 4: European Neighbourhood Policy
Academic session by dr. Antoaneta Dimitrova
Session 5: Introduction: Europe’s Common Foreign and Security Policy: state of the art in the context of recent developments
Academic session by prof. dr. Jan Rood
Duration: 2,5 hours
Session 6: The Europeanisation of the public and private sector
After a short introduction, the students will interview two experts in the field of CFSP and human trafficking.
What are recent developments and what is in the pipeline? How to ensure that the CFSP will be more effective in the future and how to manage the massive illegal immigration towards the EU?.
The main conclusions will be summarized in statements that serve as input for a plenary discussion.
Working form: interview carrousel and plenary discussion
Session 7:The role of national parliaments in the EU decision making structure after Lisbon
Guest lecturer Dr. Mendeltje van Keulen of the Dutch second chamber of Parliament will explain in detail the new competences of the national parliaments after the Treaty of Lisbon, like for example the yellow card procedure, with ample room for questions and discussion.
Working form: interactive lecture with room for discussion and questions
Session 8:Deepening session CFSP: Europe’s fight against global terrorism: state of the art
Academic session by Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker
Session 9:Getting to Yes: EU negotiation techniques (1)
The character of this session will be a training course. The students will start with a definition exercise about EU negotiations, which will provide them insight in the difference between a written mandate and no mandate on paper and two basic concepts about negotiations: synergy vs. Synthesis.
The training continues with a bilateral negotiation exercise. With this exercise they get insight in the difference between integrative- and distributive negotiations and some other theoretic concepts, like contract zone, BATNA and zero-sum negotiations. This session will end with an individual questionnaire that provide the students insight in their own dominant communication and negotiation style and what the (dis)advantages of each style are.
Working form: exercise, role play and individual questionnaire
Session 10
Academic session by Leiden University staff
Fortress Europe: The Union’s fight against illegal immigration, Prof Dr. Henk van Houten, Radboud University
Session 11: Getting to Yes: EU negotiation techniques (2)
In this session the students represent, in subgroups, different members of European Parliament, from various political parties, and they need to formulate a mandate for the President of the EP for the upcoming EU-Russia summit about the crisis in Syria.
At the end of this session the students will receive their individual country instruction for the Grande Finale, the EU simulation and they are informed that they need to prepare a diplomatic paper. In this paper they describe what are important issues for their country and what can be used as exchange-money and what their negotiation strategy will be.
Working form: minilateral simulation game
Session12: Introduction: human trafficking and illegal immigration to the EU: state of the art
Academic session by dr. Alexis Aronowitz (LUC)
Session 13: Deepening session human trafficking and illegal immigration to the EU
Academic session by dr. Alexis Aronowitz (LUC)
Session 14: Human Trafficking
by Peter Diez
Academic session by Leiden University staff
Presentations by the students about their national EU co-ordination: feedback and Q&A
Session 15 & 16
Grande finale: EU simulation game “Chaos in the Caucasus”
Important note: the EU simulation can be organized in the House of Europe, The Hague. The Europa-instituut.nl has a special contract to implement simulation games without costs at the House of Europe, at an official building of the EU, which will provide the simulation with “extra grandeur”.
The simulation will start with practical tips concerning multilateral negotiations in the EU. The President will officially open the session, presenting, amongst others, the agenda: – Should the EU condemn all parties involved or only the separatists? – Should the EU condemn the role of Russia? – Should the EU implement sanctions against Russia (economic sanctions, arms embargo, diplomatic sanctions)? – Should the current EU good governances and anti-corruption programmes be continued or (temporarily) stopped? – Who should mediate in the conflict: the UN, the EU or a local partner? – Should additional humanitarian aid be provided or not? Under military protection or not?
President will announce the rules of procedures and the order of the agenda.
All students have prepared their position and have done additional research concerning their agenda issue for their diplomatic paper. On the basis of this paper, the tour du table will start: all delegations will present their view on the several agenda issues.
During several formal and informal negotiation rounds, the delegations will work towards a compromise text acceptable for all delegations.
The students will receive feedback both on content (how realistic is the text) and process (how did you come to this compromise, linking issues, package deals, hard issues, Informal’s etc). The simulation will end with an individual assignment. Every student will analyze his/her own negotiation behavior on four dimensions and which (dis)advantages each dimension has.
Working form: simulation game, feedback and self-assignment
Dates
The standard lectures/training sessions will take place at Wednesday evening, 19.00-21.30 hours, December 2014-February 2015.
Schedule
Session Title Date Lecturer
1 Introduction into Multilevel governance: the EU example 3 dec prof. Dr. Bernard Steunenberg
2 The(informal) EU decision making procedures 10 dec Drs. Rob Boudewijn
3 Scenario Exercise “Quo Vadis Europe? 17 dec Drs. Rob Boudewijn
4 European Neighbourhood Policy 14 jan dr. Antoaneta Dimitrova
5 Introduction: Europe’s Common Foreign and Security Policy 21 jan prof. dr. Jan Rood
6 The Europeanisation of the public and private sector 28 jan Drs. Rob Boudewijn
7 The role of national parliaments in the EU decision making structure after Lisbon 4 feb
Drs. Rob Boudewijn
Drs Mendeltje van Keulen
Dr. Rik de Ruiter
8 Deepening session CFSP: Europe’s fight against global terrorism: state of the art 11 feb Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker
9 Getting to Yes: EU negotiation techniques 18 feb Drs. Rob Boudewijn
10 Fortress Europe: The Union’s fight against illegal immigration 4 ma Prof Dr. Henk van Houten, Radboud University
11 Getting to Yes: EU negotiation techniques 11 ma Drs. Rob Boudewijn
12 Introduction: human trafficking and illegal immigration to the EU: state of the art 18 ma dr. Alexis Aronowitz
13 Deepening session human trafficking and illegal immigration to the EU 1 apr dr. Alexis Aronowitz
14 Human trafficking 8 apr Peter Diez
15 Grande finale: EU simulation game “Chaos in the Caucasus” 15 apr Drs. Rob Boudewijn
16 Grande finale: EU simulation game “Chaos in the Caucasus” 16 apr Drs. Rob Boudewijn