Learning outcomes:
The aim of the training is to prepare the students to define their value-creating activity vision by introducing basic terminology, methodology, tools, and perspectives of integration in the context of the European Union. This training introduces the dynamism of the business and societal environment at the EU level. It also focuses on the decision-making processes and the roles of different stakeholders.
After participating of this training, students should be able to prepare a vision statement for his/her (or his/her team’s) value-creating activity that guides internal decision-making throughout the whole process of creating value, as well as promote initiatives for change and transformation that contribute to her/his vision
Keywords:
Integration Process, Enlargement, European institutions, EU law, European Priorities
Introduction
Historically, countries have started to liberalise part of their trade with some partner countries, creating a regional international agreement (RIA). The development of RIAs was undertaken in the post – WWII period and since that moment, the integration in the western part of Europe – European integration – was deepened, broadened and enlarged. Nowadays, the World Trade Organisation notifies more than 200 of RIAs in the world. The European Union is the most prominent and inspiring scheme of international integration. We must underline that such an outcome has been achieved gradually and the European Union, as we know it today, has changed radically since its inception in 1958. That´s why we consider crucial to get familiar with the concept of the European integration and its brief history. As the next steps, the institutional and legal frameworks are presented in this chapter. Finally, we present the current priorities of the European Union to strengthen the vision statement of the projects which are currently directly contributing to the desired development of the European Union