Learning objectives
This teaching aims at providing students a broad overview of European Union (EU) substantive law, having particular regard to its current developments. Alongside classical themes, such as, but not limited to, free movement of goods, free movement of persons, freedom of establishment freedom to provide services and state aid, this teaching delves into the regulation of the collaborative economy, food sustainability, platform workers’ rights, free movement of healthcare services, consumer digital rights as artificial intelligence.
At the end of this teaching, it is expected that: a) students have grasped the newest trajectories of EU substantive law; b) students are able to apply the acquired notions to solve legal cases; c) students are able to evaluate how the EU is coping with the new economic challenges of a globalized world; d) students are able to communicate a), b) and c) with the appropriate technical language.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
Back to the basics: the main features of the EU integration process. The historical value and the development of the internal market. The free movement of goods. The free movement of capitals. The free movement of persons. The free movement of workers. The freedom of establishment. The freedom to provide services. Harmonising the internal market. Focus 1: regulating the collaborative economy. Focus 2: the proposal for a directive on platform workers’ rights. Focus 3 protecting the digital consumer. Focus 4: the directive on patients’ rights. Focus 5: food sustainability. 6: Regulating artificial intelligence. State aid.
Full programme
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Bibliography
P. Craig, G. De Burca, EU Law – Text, Cases and Materials, 7th edition, Oxford University Press, 2020 – Chapters 18, 19, 20, 21 (only paragraphs 1 and 2), 22, 23, 24, 25, 30.
Additional compulsory readings (judgements and legal acts) will be uploaded on Elly at the end of each lesson.
Teaching methods
Lectures are devoted to the explanation of fundamental notions. Each lesson includes a space for discussion, taking stock of the current legislative framework as well as the interpretation thereof provided by the Court of Justice.
Assessment methods and criteria
Attending students: written and oral examination. The written part, open book (only the Treaty is allowed) and lasting two hours, is administered within ten working days of the end of the lectures, is corrected within five working days and the results are published on Elly. It consists of solving a concrete case through three sub-sections, each of which will be graded from 0 to 8 (maximum 24). A mark of at least 16 is required to be admitted to the oral part. The oral part, to which a maximum of 6 is attributed, consists of a single question on one of the thematic focuses presented in the lecture.
Non-attending students: entirely oral examination consisting of three questions on the course topics as developed in the suggested textbook and on the materials uploaded on Elly.
In line with the objectives of the teaching, this mode of examination allows to assess a basic preparation in the subject and its practical application in the resolution of concrete cases, always in the light of the evolving nature of the material law of the Union. In addition, in both the written and the oral part, the mastery of specific technical terminology will also be assessed.
Other information
Students with no previous knowledge of EU law or who have previously taken an EU law examination of less than 6 ECTS are invited to contact the instructor. During the course, higly qualified experts will be invited to hold seminar.
