The Europeanisation of National Parliaments

Since the onset of the European integration process, national parliaments have been continuously adjusting their traditional functions, organization and role. The increasing influence of EU policy-making in the domestic arena − usually labelled as Europeanisation − redefined the scope and limits of national legislation, as well as the structure of political competition.

Parliaments have been often described as the 'late comers' and the 'losers' of European integration. However, the Treaty of Lisbon has somewhat rehabilitated their position, by allowing them to participate more effectively in the EU decision-making processes, up to the point of providing new parliamentary functions directly in the Treaties, which may pose problems in terms of inter-institutional balance both at the national and at the European level.

In particular, the current reform of the economic governance and the resurgence of intergovernmentalism request the active involvement of national parliaments in EU affairs aiming to preserve and possibly enhance the legitimacy of the European action and to control its outcomes. Such 'transformations' require to be studied in depth, aiming to assess if and how the interaction between parliaments and citizens, political parties, national and European bodies has changed.

This summer school untangles these issues and provides its participants with a map of the current state of the European Union democracy, under the perspective of the national parliaments, by looking at their election, organization, decision-making processes, inter-institutional relations, and, in the end, at their active contribution 'to the good functioning of the Union' (Art. 12 TEU).

Participants will be provided with knowledge and expertise that will allow them to understand and interpret the complex and fascinating role of these institutions. The need to combine theory with practice in understanding the future of Europe's democracy is reflected in the Faculty, which includes world-class academics and experienced officials from European and national institutions.

This Summer School has been awarded as a Jean Monnet module co-financed by the European Commission in 2013, 2014, 2015 and is co-organised with:
- LUISS Centre for Parliamentary Studies
- CEUR Foundation
- International Political Science Association (IPSA)
- SciencesPo Paris - Centre d'études européennes
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

Course leader

The Director of the Jean Monnet Module is Nicola Lupo, Full Professor of Parliamentary Law and Director of the Master Programme in “Parliament and Public Policies”, LUISS Guido Carli.

The School of Government's Director is Sergio Fabbrini, Full Profess

Target group

The beneficiaries of this intensive learning experience are:

- graduates, doctoral students and junior researchers who are active in the field of parliamentary and European Union studies and want to test their current knowledge and experience with a world-class faculty and senior professionals;
- civil servants from European institutions and bodies, from international organizations, and from national and subnational institutions in Member States and from Third countries, who want to advance and share their hands-on experience with other colleagues and scholars;
- lobbyists and public affairs professionals who want to acquire advanced knowledge on the way to have access to the EU decision-making process and, therefore, be better prepared to the new challenges, after the Treaty of Lisbon and the reform of the economic governance.

Course aim

Taught by world-renowned academics and experts, this summer school applies research-based knowledge to the practical contexts that European national parliaments and political communities face nowadays. The faculty will create a teaching and seminar environment that is likely to foster experiential learning and to allow participants to debate new concepts, ideas and challenges while working together through seminars and group work.

The course is divided in two weeks, which are closely inter-connected. Students can opt for the two week or one week course.

The first week, from 14 to 18 July 2014, on 'National Parliaments in a Europeanised Institutional System', is more 'political science-oriented' and is divided into six sessions addressing the following subject areas:

- How much legislation comes from Europe? From Delors's prediction to practice
- The effect of Europeanisation on national governance and inter-institutional balance
- The Europeanisation of the internal organisation of national parliaments
- The subsidiarity ex ante review as a tool of Europeanisation of national parliaments
- The Europeanisation of national electoral politics, tbc
- The Europeanisation of national political parties and parliamentary groups

The second week, from 21 to 25 July 2014, on 'The Europeanisation of Rules and Functions of National Parliaments', is more 'law-oriented' and is divided into six sessions addressing the following subject areas:

- The Europeanisation of the national forms of government
- How Europeanisation affects parliamentary transparency and accountability
- The Europeanisation of law-making at national level
- The Europeanisation of Member State's Legal System Through Approximation of Laws
- National parliaments and the new European economic governance
- The Europeanisation of regional parliaments

Each week will start with an opening lecture and will end with a closing lecture by prominent academics and practitioners.


Every subject area will be mapped by the lecture of a member of the faculty, followed by a Q&A from the audience, and by a thematic workshop where participants will be able to discuss their research and professional experiences.

Participants will also have a first-hand experience during a visit to the Italian Chamber of Deputies (first week) and Senate (second week) where they will meet staff members of the Committees for European Union Policies.

Finally, the best papers prepared by the participants will be published by LUISS School of Government as part of its Working Paper Series: http://sog.luiss.it/it/ricerca/working-papers

Credits info

6 EC
LUISS School of Government awards a certificate of participation upon successful completion of the Summer School.

In order to gain this certificate, participants will be expected to attend and actively participate in all activities of the Summer School.

Participants wishing to obtain credits should consult their own institutions in advance about the acceptability of the Summer School evaluation, which will be based on class participation and oral and written presentation.

Credits will be awarded along the following guidelines:

- 4 ECTS: class participation and successful evaluation of a research paper presented during the one week course
- 6 ECTS: class participation and successful evaluation of a research paper presented during the two week course.

Participants who will undertake this evaluation will receive an official transcript detailing the awarded credits.

Fee info

EUR 1000: The fee covers two weeks of course. Within two weeks from their admission, students are to complete the enrolment by paying their tuition fee into LUISS Bank account:

Luiss Guido Carli – V.le Pola, 12 – 00198 Roma – codice ENTE 31449 – IBAN IT17H 02008 05077 0004 0000 0917

and sending the receipt of the payment to summersog@luiss.it.

The Summer School team will provide the reading materials, access to the LUISS library, and wifi access, and will offer a rich social programme.

Should you need the accommodation, the fee will be 1500 euro

Fees will be returned should the School of Government decide not to activate the course.

Participants can request a full reinbursement of tuition fees if they cancel by 20 June 2014.
EUR 650: The fee covers one week of course of your choice.
Within two weeks from their admission, students are to complete the enrolment by paying their tuition fee into LUISS Bank account:

Luiss Guido Carli – V.le Pola, 12 – 00198 Roma – codice ENTE 31449 – IBAN IT17H 02008 05077 0004 0000 0917

and sending the receipt of the payment to summersog@luiss.it.

The Summer School team will provide the reading materials, access to the LUISS library, and wifi access, and will offer a rich social programme.

Should you need the accommodation, the fee will be 1000 euro

Fees will be returned should the School of Government decide not to activate the course.

Participants can request a full reinbursement of tuition fees if they cancel by 20 June 2014.