• Understand and discuss the dynamics and consequences of European integration, the role of its institutions and the central role of the Single Market.
• Identify the most important dimensions and rationales of EU policies
• Evaluate the impact of EU policies on the business environment and elaborate possible strategies of adaptation for firms operating in Europe
• Analyze the regulation of European labour markets and corporate response to European integration

As the biggest common market in the world, the European Union's Single Market has created many opportunities but also challenges for European companies. The recent Brexit negotiations have highlighted how important this can be for companies' strategic decisions. Over time, the changing institutional and regulatory environment of the EU, and in particular the double wave of deregulation and supranational re-regulation, have had an increasing impact on European business, creating new opportunities but also new threats and challenges. National and multi-national companies have therefore progressively understood the importance of monitoring the changes in EU primary and secondary legislation, evaluating the impact on their business and dynamically adapting the company’s strategy to the new conditions.

The aim of the course is to present an overview of how the EU institutions and decision-making affect the European business environment. Students will learn how companies develop their strategic potential when operating - for example - in the European energy, air transport, banking and other services sectors. The course uses Harvard Business cases to discuss how the institutional and regulatory dynamics affect the companies' strategic decisions. It is expected that students prepare the cases before class and actively contribute to the discussions or group presentations in class.

The students will develop a general and practical knowledge of the EU policies that are most relevant for business, and will learn to evaluate the impact of EU primary and secondary legislation on different business sectors.

Indicative overview of lectures and cases:

1. The EU institutional environment

2. The EU policy-making process, legislative acts, and lobbying

3. The EU internal market & the role of the European Court of Justice

4. The EU’s competition policy 

5. Introduction to the analysis of the business environment

6. Applied analysis of the business environment (I): Internal market for energy - Case 1: EVN in Bulgaria

7. Applied analysis of the business environment (II): Air transport sector - Case 2: Lufthansa 2012

8. EU labour markets

9. Intra-EU labour mobility - Case 3: Labour and service market liberalisation in the enlarged EU

10. Economic and Monetary Union & governance of Eurozone - Case 4: Crédit Agricole and Emporiki.

11. External Trade - Case 5: The EU-US Beef Hormone Dispute

12. Conclusion, Q&A session and course evaluation

To be scheduled within a 6-week framework in the last quarter of the year

The course is based on a small compendium and a package of case studies