Training in European Affairs - Previous projects
The Legal System of the European Union - 2008
The Legal system of the European Union is one of the training programmes which contributed to the diversification of the training offer of the European Institute of Romania in conformity with the training needs identified in the analysis elaborated by the EIR for the central public administration at the end of 2007.
Romania’s accession to the European Union led to the assumption of obligations prescribed in European legislation. The knowledge of the community acquis, of EU institutions and their legal acts, the interference of domestic and community law – all of these are competences needed by specialists in the field of European Affairs, especially those involved in matters of legislative coordination and implementation of European regulations. The Legal system of the EU training programme meets the training needs of Romanian public servants in terms of understanding the sources of Community law and the influence of the European case-law in a systematic and condensed way.
The two training sessions organized in 2008 for the Legal system of the EU programme led to the creation of relatively heterogeneous groups of participants from the point of view of their experience in the field. Diversity was manifested not only in terms of the expertise, but also in the multitude of institutions represented. Even if most participants were from the central administration, among them also featured members of the Prahova County Council, the Institution of the Prefect for the Counties of Teleorman and Călăraşi, Bucharest City Hall.
Among the authorities of the central administration represented at the course were: the National Agency for Environmental Protection, the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, the National Agency of Public Servants, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology.
Because of a partnership with the National School of Political Science and Administration and through a scholarship programme of the Soros Foundation in the Republic of Moldavia, the training programme was also attended by a Moldavian citizen from the United Nations Development Programme.
The total number of participants for the two training sessions organized in 2008 was of 70 persons.
The legal system of the EU is a training programme designed to assist public officials with responsibilities regarding the coordination and approximation of Romanian legislation with community law or the implementation of community law and also the identification of sources and instruments of European legislation. In the aftermath of the programme, the course participants were better equipped for identifying the Community acquis, understanding the manner in which international and community law applies in Romania and comprehending the influence of the European jurisdiction over the legal system of the EU.
The legal system of the European Union is a training programme offered by the EIR for the first time in 2008. The two training sessions took place in the periods June 9th-10th and October 27th-28th. Each of them had 16 hours of training, including the time allocated for the administration of a test, based on which the participant certificates were issued.
The main themes presented and debated during the modules of the training programme were:
- Domestic law, international law, Community law
- EU institutions and their legal documents
- Effects of Community law
- The intensity of sources of Community law
- The Community acquis
- The influence of the European case-lae on the legal system of the EU
As was the case with the Justice and Home Affairs programme, the modules in course were lectured by one of the trusted collaborators of the EIR in terms of professional training, dr. Simina - Elena Tănăsescu, professor and trainer with wide experience both in the constitutional and Community law, as well as Eruopean Affairs.
Each module was structured in presentations and exercises which encouraged debate, critical thinking and analysis, as well as team work when course participants were asked to express points of view on certain cases of European case-law.
The assessment of the training programme by the participants was conducted through the administration of an opinion poll fulfilled anonymously containing questions in which marks were awarded pertaining to the general level of the programme, as well as that of the different modules, but also contained open questions about the most useful or redundant knowledge accumulated during the four days of training. Also there were open spaces for further comments and suggestions.
The two training sessions dedicated to the programme the Legal system of the EU presented an ascending evolution, proof of this being the percentage awarded to the general level of the course considered excellent which increased from 50% in the first session to 65% in the second session. The different modules of the programme received excellent qualifications in the average of 60% and very good for 35% of the opinions expressed.
The reference themes which brought an added value to the course from the point of view of participants were : the competences of the European Court of Justice, the interpretation of cases, the elucidation of the bond between domestic, international and Community law, the difference between theory and practice in terms of the effects of Community law, the concept of legal harmonization.
The participants appreciated the professionalism and the expertise of the trainer, the structure of the programme as well as the quality of the organization. The criticism expressed contained observations about the short amount of time given to debates and the exceeding allocation of explanations about domestic law. The October session was also characterized by administrative problems related to the heating installation of the training hall, but they did not damper the attention or the participation of the audience, the results of the evaluation test being very good. The suggestions of the participants included the extension of the programme to sessions longer than two days, but also the separation of participants in groups according to the level of their of knowledge.
Here are some samples of the comments expressed by participants :
- a very well organized and well structured course from the point of view of view of themes approached
- extremely well prepared trainer, charismatic, full of empathy and flexibility
- the improvement of the heating system is required; also extremely useful would be an added reference list to the materials given in order to complete the theme of the course
- the equipment and the training materials were sufficient
- perhaps it would be better if the same training programmes could be held for officials who are not legal specialists, but with a different approach
The legal system of the European Union was organized by the EIR at its headquarters in Bucharest, 7-9 Regina Elisabeta bldv in the conference hall.
The project coordinator was Laurenţia Mariana Mereuţă, laurentia.mereuta@ier.ro
