Module description
This course concentrates on the law of the European Union (and yes, of course, the UK withdrawal from the EU...)
The European Union (EU) follows from the determination expressed by the drafters of the Treaty of Rome (1957, setting up the EEC) "to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe".
Since the 1957 EEC Treaty, there have been a number of important events in the history of the EU. These include: the Single European Act (1986); the Treaty on European Union signed at Maastricht (1992), and the revisions of the Treaties agreed upon in the Amsterdam (1997), Nice (2000) and Lisbon (2007) Treaties. The latter Treaty, which entered into force in late 2009, came after the French and Dutch people voted "No" in referenda on a proposed EU Constitution for Europe.
Today, two treaties (Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) provide the core texts of the EU. However, it will soon become clear that the EU has moved much beyond the Treaties: it is developing into a fully-fledged political and legal system, with autonomous institutions and its own system of law-making (in terms of both legislation and case-law).
The course is divided into 3 main parts :
The first part is devoted to the history of the European legal order, the Treaties, the institutional framework and the main constitutional principles regulating EU law.
The second focuses on the EU internal market and economic trade integration.
The third one part discusses the protection of fundamental rights in EU law and the human rights dimension to European integration.
In addition to these three parts, aspects of Brexit, the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be discussed throughout the course.
Assessment details
Examination (70%); Essay (30%)
Teaching pattern
Lectures and Tutorials
Suggested reading list
Paul Craig and Gráinne de Búrca, EU Law Text, Cases, and Materials (Seventh Edition, Oxford University Press, 2020) UK Version
Please note : the "general edition" is perfectly fine. The UK Edition has some extra sections devoted to Brexit. The book is available in print and online.