KAFP 4265 - EU institutions, law and policies : current issues and future challenges

Course Description

Substantive content Course objectives: This course introduces students to the fundamentals of European Union law and institutions through the lens of contemporary issues. The aim is to provide students with the foundations of a European legal culture. After giving students an overview of the Union's institutional framework and legal order, the course examines current issues and future challenges in EU law. The course delves into the legal construction of the EU and the main principles of EU law, and explores how EU law regulates issues such as the protection of fundamental rights, the internal market, European citizenship, democracy and the rule of law, (dis)integration, environmental concerns or digital technologies. Through detailed analyses of EU legislation and case law of the Court of Justice of the EU, students will learn to critically examine how EU law shapes these issues and responds to these social challenges. Learning outcomes: At the end of the course, students will be able to:  Understand the legal and institutional architecture of the European Union;  Analyse critically how EU law frames, shapes and addresses contemporary social, political and economic issues;  Research, read and analyse primary materials such as EU legislation and decisions of the EU Court of Justice;  Evaluate EU legal developments in light of academic critiques and contrasting perspectives.

Enseignants

Dan WATSON,Raphaële XENIDIS

Type

Cours magistral seul

Language of tuition

English

Workload

Students are expected to complete the mandatory readings before attending the course. Optional readings are provided for each class, which students can complete before or after the corresponding lecture to go deeper into the various issues covered in class.

Pre-requisite

No pre-requisite necessary for this course.

Semester

Spring 2024-2025

Course validation

1) Short quiz: after the first two introductory lectures (classes 1 and 2), students will be required to complete a short quiz to consolidate their learning on the basic institutional and legal framework of the European Union. 2) Group work: students will be required to work in groups to draft a policy/legal brief responding to a question shared ahead of the deadline. This will include preparation time organised by student groups autonomously and outside the lectures. 3) Written exam: the concluding exam will cover the entire content of the course and will consist of several short essay questions.