EU Institutions II: European Parliament and the Council of the EU

EU Institutions II: European Parliament and the Council of the EU

Dr. Friedemann Groth

Knowledge of EU Law & EU Institutions

Course Structure and Objectives

  • Cluster 1: History, Institutions, and Competences of the EU

    • Week 1: History of the EU and its Foundations
    • Week 2: The EU’s Political Institutions I
    • Week 3: The EU’s Political Institutions II
    • Week 4: The Competences of the EU
    • Week 5: Legal Instruments

  • Objectives for Today’s Lecture

    • Institutional balance in the EU
    • The legislative branch in the EU
    • Role, composition, and functioning of the European Parliament
    • Role, composition, and functioning of the Council of the European Union
    • Learning Outcome 2 (LO 2): Upon completion of this course, students will be able to discuss the role and functioning of the EU institutions both separately and within the institutional framework.

I. Foundations: Institutional Balance

  • Importance of Institutional Balance

    • Necessity for checks and balances between institutions to ensure:
    • Balance between elected and non-elected institutions.
    • Balance between EU-wide interests and national interests.

  • Historical Context

    • Concept of institutional balance has a rich history, existing even before the establishment of the EU and becoming a key feature of EU Constitutional Law.

Understanding Institutional Balance in the EU

  • Article 13(2) TEU
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