Most people can name the Commission, the Parliament and the Council. Far fewer can say who actually decides what goes into a law.
That gap shows up fast. In a job interview. In a first meeting with an institution. In a policy note that reads as if it was written from the outside.
This course closes it. You will learn what each institution is responsible for, how a proposal becomes law, and where in that process the text can still be changed. It also covers what is on the table now, from enlargement to the multi-annual budget.
By the end you will be able to open any EU file and see who is doing what, at which stage, and where the real decisions are made.
Instructor
Clemens Rosenmayr
EU Law & Lobbying
Clemens Rosenmayr is a Policy Officer at DG GROW, the European Commission department responsible for the internal market and industry.
He has now seen the legislative process from both sides. Before joining the Commission he was Head of Energy and Environment Policy at Eurochambres, the European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, where he coordinated joint positions across national chambers and met institutions and businesses on a weekly basis. Today he works inside the institution that proposes the law.
His policy work covers ecodesign of products, industrial emissions, chemical legislation and raw materials. He is a trained economist who also studied environmental sciences. Originally from Austria, he has lived in England, Spain and France, and is now based in Belgium.
Course Details
12 Lectures
Reading Materials
5 Quizzes
Online
5 Hours
English
What You Will Learn
- Read any EU proposal and say which institution holds the pen at that stage
- Follow a file from Commission proposal to adopted law, including trilogues
- Explain why some decisions need unanimity and others do not
- See where a member state can block, delay or shape a text
- Spot the point in the process where input still changes the outcome
You probably know less than you think
Five questions to check, about a minute. Most people get two. Score five and you can skip the programme.
Who Is This Course For
The course is built for people who need to work with the EU, not only read about it.
You will get the most out of it if you are applying for a role in the institutions and need to speak about the process with confidence. Or working in public affairs, an NGO or a national administration, where a file lands on your desk and you have to know who to talk to. Or studying law, political science or European studies, and want the working knowledge that course reading does not give you.
No legal background is required. B1 or B2 English is enough.
Course Content
Cost
The course costs €75. A single payment unlocks all video lectures, reading materials and quizzes, with no time limit. Once you enrol, the material stays yours to return to whenever you need it.
A Professional Certificate of Completion is issued once you pass the assessments, at no extra cost.
Duration and Fornat
The course is online and self-paced. Around 5 to 6 hours in total, including lectures, reading and quizzes. There are no fixed login times and no deadlines. You can start today and finish over two evenings or two months.
Assessment & Certification
Each module ends with a multiple choice quiz, and the course ends with a final quiz covering the whole syllabus. The pass mark is 60% in each assessment.
Passing gives you the option to order the certificate. It is issued in your name, states the syllabus and hours, and can be listed on your CV and LinkedIn.
Before You Start
There are no entry requirements. No degree, no legal background, no prior study of the EU.
Two things help. English at B1 or B2 level, since the terminology is not simplified. And a connection good enough to stream video.
That is all. If you are curious about how the EU works, you are ready for this course.
What People Say About This Programme
Learn how EU law actually gets made
They are applying for the same roles as you, and they will be able to explain how a proposal becomes law when someone asks in the room.
Enroll for Free Starts todayFree to join · No card · First lesson opens straight away
FAQ
You can enroll here. If you do not have an account yet, you will be asked to create one, which takes about a minute. After that the first lesson opens straight away.
The core video modules and reading materials take approximately 4-5-6 hours to complete.
No. The programme is entirely self-paced. You can start whenever you like and take as much time as you need to complete the lectures.
It is taught by someone who works inside the system it describes. Clemens Rosenmayr is a Policy Officer at DG GROW and previously led energy and environment policy at Eurochambres, so he has seen the legislative process from both the institutional side and the industry side. The course is built around how files actually move, not only around what the treaties say.
Nothing to lose by checking: the first lesson is open now.
Yes. Learners who take the certificate receive a Professional Certificate of Completion issued in their name, stating the syllabus and the hours. It can be added to the certifications section on LinkedIn and to the training section of a CV. If you take the course without the certificate, you can still list it as continuing education, but you will not have a document to point to.
Start the programme and decide about the certificate later.
The quizzes are designed to reinforce learning, not to catch you out. You will need a 60% pass rate to generate your certificate, but you can retake the quizzes if necessary to improve your score.
You will have lifetime access to the programme materials, allowing you to study at your own pace and revisit the content whenever you need to.
You can enrol here. If you do not have an account yet, you will be asked to create one, which takes about a minute. After that the first lesson opens straight away.
Course Includes
- 4 Lessons
- 17 Topics
- 5 Assessments
- Course Certificate