The 21st century brings with it a new phase in the policy approach of the European Union towards the problem of uneven territorial development. Successive enlargements have meant the widening of regional disparities but, with budget constraints and the enlargement of the EU, it means that the Structural Funds will are spread more thinly, making it more difficult for the European Commission to secure balanced economic and employment growth in Europe. Introducing students to the economic and political dynamics of the European Union, the linked modules critically examine the problem of uneven development and EU policy for the balanced and harmonious economic development of the EU, to question whether social, economic and territorial cohesion is achievable. Drawing on experience in the West Midlands, the course shows how EU policy impacts on the UK, in the light of the debates about regional economic development, policies and governance. In Semester I, students will learn about the establishment of the EU and its institutions as a prelude to looking at the nature of the problem of uneven development in the European Union. In Semester II, students will learn about the Structural Funds, and the extent to which they can secure economic, social and territorial cohesion in an integrating Europe and will explore a number of related industrial, competition and employment policy issues as the EU strives to secure the economic growth and development of the EU economy.