Advanced EU Law

Duration

24h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Pieter Van Cleynenbreugel

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course will offer a panoramic perspective of the state of European Union law today. As the EU intervenes in ever more domains, we have to make a selection in doing so. Given their increasing importance, we made the choice in that respect to approach the European Union and its law from the particular point of view of 'fundamental rights'.
The importance of fundamental rights can no longer be denied at the European Union level. Having gained gradual recognition up to a point where an EU Charter of Fundamental Rights has been adopted, fundamental rights have come to play a major role in the design, interpretation and application of European Union law. This course uses the presence, possibilities and limits fundamental rights offer as an inroad into studying European Union law in a somewhat more advanced manner.
The course will comprise a general introduction on the role and status of fundamental rights in the European Union (sessions 1 and 2), before questioning whether a specific hierarchy exists between different types of fundamental rights as recognised throughout the European Union (sessions 3, 4 and 5). The final part of the course zooms in on specific fundamental rights that can be considered typical of the EU: the right to transparency and openness (sessions 6 and 7) and the right to the protection of one's personal data (sessions 8, 9 and 10).

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of this course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of specific themes in which EU law has played a role or in which it can be invoked.
Students will have a better command of legal English. They will be able to understand the English version of a European Court case or a European legislative instruments. They will be capable of explaining orally in English a point of law within the subject matter of this course. In addition, they will be capable of summarising a key legal argument in writing, through the obligatory forum posts in eCampus. Students will capable of developing arguments based on a problem of EU law and will be able to reflect more critically on the state and future of EU law.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Basic knowledge of EU institutional and substantive law. Ability and willingness to follow a lecture in English and to take part in discussions.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course will be taught on line this year. Presentations will be made available every Friday.
In addition, a Q&A forum will allow students to ask their questions via eCampus.
The visit to the Court of Justice will not be organised this year, due to the on-going pandemic.
The syllabus for this course will be available in electronic version. More information will be posted on eCampus.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Covid-19 has a significant impact on our traditional ways of teaching. In an attempt to minimise the risk of contamination and to allow the level of education you are entitled to to proceed in accordance with the rules and guidelines issued at University and Government(s)' level, this course will be organised online.
To that extent, 10 online lectures will be posted on eCampus every Friday morning. Students are free to watch and listen whenever they want.

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

The course takes place online.

Recommended or required readings

Cases and materials as well as course outlines will be available online via eCampus.
The cases and materials largely contain Court of Justice case law and EU legislation. Links to doctrinal articles will be posted on eCampus.

Assessment methods and criteria

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- Remote

written work

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote


Additional information:

Online take home exam. Students will be required to write a six page essay on a given topic, integrating cases and materials discussed in class. More information will be made available on eCampus.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

10 online lecture sessions, will be organised. 
- The emergence of fundamental rights in the European Union (available on eCampus on 25/09)
- Fundamental rights in the European Union and beyond: the relationship between EU fundamental rights and other fundamental rights regimes (available on eCampus on 2/10)
- Fundamental rights in the EU internal market (I): free movement rights as/and fundamental rights (available on eCampus on 9/10)
- Fundamental rights in the EU internal market (II): economic freedoms and social rights in balance? (available on eCampus on 16/10)
- Fundamental rights in the EU internal market (III): Citizenship rights as fundamental rights? (available on eCampus on 23/10)
- EU-specific fundamental rights: openness and transparency (I) (available on eCampus on 30/10)
- EU-specific fundamental rights: openness and transparency (II) (available on eCampus on 6/11)
- EU-specific fundamental rights: data protection (I) (available on eCampus on 13/11)
- EU-specific fundamental rights: data protection (II) (available on eCampus on 20/11)
- EU-specific fundamental rights: data protection (III) = Q&A (available on eCampus on 27/11)

Contacts

Professor: Pieter Van Cleynenbreugel (pieter.vancleynenbreugel@ulg.ac.be)
Secretariat: Caroline Langevin (caroline.langevin@ulg.ac.be)

Items online