European Union Law

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to equip you with a thorough understanding of the key features of the European Union (EU) and its legal order. Given the significant impact of EU law and policies on the Member States and beyond, understanding this area of law is vital for any legal practitioner. The study of EU law is also extremely rewarding from a more academic perspective, as it teaches us important lessons about the interaction between different legal orders, the limits of State sovereignty and the role of international institutions. In recent years, the EU has become a source of continual political conflict: both over the content of its measures and the legitimacy of its institutions. We will consider these questions throughout the course and in particular in the context of two major crises that the EU is currently facing: the refugee crisis and Brexit. The first part of the course will focus primarily on the institutional and procedural law of the EU, while the second part of the course will be concerned with the rules governing two key substantive policy areas, the internal market and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ).