The Center for European Integration Studies (ZEI) provides future oriented research on unresolved issues of European integration and the global role of Europe. The work of ZEI - basically in the fields of political science and law -  is applied and linked with innovative knowledge transfer. Currently, ZEI research covers two research areas:

• European Governance and Regulation
• Comparative Regional Integration.

ZEI offers postgraduate students an English-speaking Master in European Studies with a focus on governance and regulation.  An international faculty guarantees highest scholarly standards, diverse methods and perspectives on politics, law and economics. Practical experts and excursions to the decision-making centers of European politics add to the international atmosphere at ZEI in Bonn. A ZEI degree supports an excellent entrance into the European job market.

ZEI was founded in 1995 on the basis of the Bonn-Berlin-law and by a decision of the Senate of Bonn University.

The research and consultancy work of ZEI is implemented in the context of projects of a changing thematic focus and time-frame. The two thematic areas also reflect the focus of  graduate education at ZEI.

Currently research at the Center for European Integration Studies is based on two thematic areas:

European Governance and Regulation

Research at ZEI on "European Governance and Regulation" deals with the transformation of the political system of the European Union (EU) and the regulatory pressures which result from this transformation. The transformation process of the EU encompasses the further development of the EU treaties as well as institutional change, which has been analyzed in depth  at ZEI in the past. In addition, research at ZEI on "European Governance and Regulation" focuses on the  impact of a growing transfer of sovereignty to the EU-level and the increasing repercussions of European policies on the Member States, also taking into account national reservations which sometimes even lead to anti-European movements. The establishment of new legal frameworks to regulate the growing complexity of governance in the EU has evolved as a consequence of the transformation process. This applies especially to the fields of competition law and network industries, which are at the center of ZEI´s research on regulation.

The area of European Governance and Regulation encompasses the following projects:

• The Future of the European Union
• Regulation and Competition Law
• Shaping Globality in Europe

Comparative Regional Integration

Research at ZEI on "Comparative Regional Integration"deals with the comparative analysis of the worldwide phenomenon of "region-building". "Region-building" can be understood as the efforts of Europe and regions outside of Europe to enhance integration on an economic, political, legal and cultural level. The main objectives of "region-building" are the preservation of peace, the increase of intra-regional trade and  a strengthening of growth and development. Without neglecting the genuine character of regional integration systems outside of Europe, which are the basis of ZEI´s research, the role of the European Union as a source of inspiration and experience is of importance in this context. The work of ZEI in this field focuses specifically  on the comparative analysis of regional integration in Europe and West Africa. On this issue, ZEI is conducting a long-term research cooperation project together with the West Africa Institute (WAI) in Praia, Cape Verde. The WAI-ZEI research cooperation is sponsored by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The area of Comparative Regional Integration encompasses the following projects:

• European Union und West Africa
• Euro-Mediterranean Partnership

www.zei.uni-bonn.de