After successful completion of the course, students are able to understand the general institutional structure of the EU. Additionally, they can identify the major trends of european regional development and explain the following challenges for the european integration process. Especially, the students are qualified to apply the main instruments, concepts and measures of European cohesion policies and to develop a critical view on their spatial and structural effects as well as on their future perspectives.
1 The European Union
1.1 History of European integration
1.2 Contractual framework of the European Union
1.3 EU policies
1.4 EU bodies
1.5 EU legislation
1.6 EU budget
2 Wirtschaftliche Disparitäten in Europa
2.1 Basic data
2.2 Regional GDP and employment
2.3 Factors of regional competitiveness
3 Cohesion Policy
3.1 Basics (framework, implementation, instruments)
3.2 Operational Programmes
3.3 Financing
3.4 Programmes in Austria
3.5 Effects of cohesion policy
4 Other relevant EU-policies
4.1 Common Agricultural Policy [CAP]
4.2 Transeuropean Networks [TEN]
4.3 European Spatial Policies [ESDP]
Detection of currents problems
Critical debate on institutions and instruments
Discussion of case stdies
