BEX5832-European Business and Society

Section A 

You are required to answer four (4) out of the five (5) questions in Section A. Each answer is worth equal marks and should be approximately 400 words in length.

Answers in Section A do not require referencing.

You are encouraged to use examples to highlight the issues asked of you in these short answer questions.

1. The Directorate General of Competition (DG Comp) in the European Union (EU) has three pillars that underpin the EU’s Competition Policy. One of these pillars is the Control of State Aid. Discuss how this pillar is fundamental to the workings of the EU single market and despite its importance, it is often resisted by the member states?

2. Why is the European Union (EU) in a dilemma about how to deal with a region within a member state when that region looks to secede from the mother country? What do you think the EU’s response needs to be under such circumstances and why?

3. What does it mean to be European? Why is the concept problematic and what does the EU need to do to bring about a greater sense of a common European identity among its citizens?

4. Explain how Italy’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered both a positive and a negative force on Italy’s economy.

5. Syriza in Greece and Lega in Italy are both considered populist political parties in Europe. How is it that both are deemed populist and yet they are very different? What type of Europe does each envisage? 

Section B

Answer one of the following two questions. You are required to write an essay style answer and use appropriately cited evidence and references to support your arguments.

The essay is to be approximately 1600 words. Citations in the written text, are part of the word count, the reference list at the end of your answer is not part of the word count.

“The financial crisis facing Eurozone member countries in Europe lies in the fact that the whole Euro single currency project was ill conceived from the start. New ideas and solutions need to be found to accommodate such an economically diverse range of Eurozone members if the single currency project is to survive in the long term”. Discuss using examples to highlight your arguments

or

What you consider to be some the key structural issues/hurdles facing the EU as it looks to expand its membership beyond the present 28 member states. Select either two or three of these issues/hurdles to discuss in depth and suggest potential solutions in overcoming them. Use examples to highlight your arguments.