This course provides an introduction to European Union (EU) law. It comprises 11 seminar sessions, and an in-class midterm examination. The course focuses on institutional EU law, but also includes a short introduction to the substantive field of free movement law. It considers both the historical development of the European Union legal order and contemporary challenges. Adopting a law-in-context approach, the course situates legal developments within their broader institutional, social, political, and economic settings. It combines theoretical and conceptual perspectives with practical applications, enabling participants to develop a sound analytical understanding of EU law as well as relevant applied skills. By the end of the course, participants will have acquired a solid grounding in the EU legal system. This knowledge is valuable for those intending to practice law in a European context or in jurisdictions otherwise connected to the EU.
The course aims to provide participants with a foundational understanding of the EU legal order. It examines its historical development, institutional framework, decision-making processes and some insight into core substantive areas of EU law. Particular attention is devoted to the EU’s lawmaking and enforcement procedures, including the sources and legal instruments of EU law and the relationships between them; core principles governing the interaction between the EU and the national legal orders of the Member States, and judicial remedies at both national and EU level. The course also introduces key features of substantive EU law, providing participants with an initial understanding of how EU rules operate in those policy areas. The course is designed to serve as a foundation for subsequent courses that explore specific fields of EU law, or contemporary challenges facing the European Union in greater depth.
- Instructor: Marie-Pierre Granger