Course 2020-2021 a.y.

Introduction to Private International Law

• The three processes of Private International Law: jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition
• EU PIL system: from national rules to the integration model
• Civil and Commercial Jurisdiction in the EU: the Brussels I Regulation
• Applicable Law to Contracts: the Rome I Regulation
• Applicable Law to Torts: the Rome II Regulation
• Private International Law, Corporate social responsibility & Extraterritoriality
• Free movement of establishment, lex societatis and PIL
• The Insolvency Regulation
• Brief presentation of the Italian system of Private International Law (not compulsory for exchange students)

• Understand the operation of national and EU Private international law systems.
• Define cross border private relationships and identify the legal orders involved.
• Identify the applicable conflict of law provision and the applicable law.
• Identify the national courts competent to settle international disputes.
• Identify the enforceability of foreign decisions in domestic legal systems.

• Apply the appropriate conflict of law provisions to solve hypothetical cases.
• Discuss the different policy options inspiring different private international law regalutory choice.
• Explain the connection between EU economic integration process and the Private international law regulations.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Individual assignments

Students are also assigned Court Judgments to be discussed in class. Because of the course’s set up, the need to discuss the case law in class, as well as the need to learn how to solve hypothetical cases, a committed and pro-active attendance is highly recommended.

The main assessment method, which is the same for attending and non attending students, is the general exam. In order to verify students’ abilities in applying the principles learned in class to concrete cases, it will consist of two case-based questionsto be answered on Respondus in 60 minutes. 

Students also have the possibility of attending a mid-term exam, which will consist of one case-based question to be answered on Respondus in 30 minutes, on topics treated in the first half of the semester. 

In order to provide a broader asset for evaluation, students attending the practical sessions will also enjoy the possibility of including the assignments submitted during these sessions in the calculation of their final grades. The calculation will be realized as follows: an average of the grades of all the assignments submitted, minus the lowest one, will account for 50% of the final grade of the course, only as far as it increases this final result. Practical sessions are important in ensuring, even in an on-line learning experience, a hands-on approach to the topics, an exchange with colleagues during teamwork as well as a training on the practical application of concepts analyzed during the lectures. 

Students who cannot attend the practical sessions but would also like to have an additional element for evaluation can write a 5.000 words essay on a topic to be decided individually. 

• G. VAN CALSTER, European Private International Law, Oxford, Hart Pub., latest edition.
• Other teaching materials (slides, Court decisions, legislations) are announced before each class and uploaded to the Bboard platform.