Course 2025-2026 a.y.

30621 - EUROPEAN UNION LAW

Department of Law

Course taught in English

BGL (9 credits - I sem. - OB | IUS/14)

Course Director:
ELEANOR SPAVENTA

Classes: 28 (I sem.)

Instructors:
Class 28: ELEANOR SPAVENTA

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The aim of the course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the European Union legal order and the role of law in the European integration process, also taking into account policy and political developments. The course focuses on the EU institutional architecture, the legislative and decision-making process in the EU, and the constitutional principles of the EU, including direct effect, supremacy, fundamental rights, Bgl for enforcing EU law and judicial review and the main principles of the substantive law of the European Union, focusing in particular on Union citizenship and the internal market (the four freedoms). All topics in the course are dealt with particular attention to current developments in EU law and the development of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Overall, the course aims to introduce students to the complexities of European integration through in-depth analysis of the case law of the Court of Justice.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The Development of European Integration
The Institutions
Competence
Instruments, Hierarchy of Norms, and Decision-Making
The Nature and Effect of EU Law: Direct Effect, incidental horizontal effect
The Application of EU Law: Remedies in National Courts, national procedural autonomy
The Preliminary Ruling Procedure
Judicial Review
Enforcement Action against Member States
Human Rights in the EU
Free Movement of Goods
Union Citizenship
Free Movement of Workers
Freedom of Establishment and Free Movement of Services

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Understand the basic institutional and constitutional structure of the Europea Union;

Understand the way EU and national law interact

Critically understand the EU in the broader geopolitical context

Be able to navigate the case law of the European Court of Justice, identify relevant cases and apply them to relevant facts

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Be able to show in-depth analytical and critical understanding of the EU legal system

Be able to use primary and secondary sources and to apply the relevant law as required

Teaching methods

Lectures
Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
Collaborative Works / Assignments

DETAILS

Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)

Group assignement – students will present a topic of their choosing within selected areas

Assessment methods

	Continuous assessment	Partial exams	General exam
Written individual exam (traditional/online)			x
Collaborative Works / Assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)	x

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam 75% of the mark. The exam is a closed book (no materials are allowed for reference or consultation during the exam). Students will have to answer three essay questions.

25% of the mark will be given for a group presentation on a topic concerning the internal market agreed with the module convener. Marks will be assigned individually within the group and each student will present part of the group work. Further information on the organization of the groups will be provided on Blackboard in due time.

Please remember that attending students are those who have reached the threshold of at least 75% of attendance.

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam 100% of the mark. The exam is a closed book (no materials are allowed for reference or consultation during the exam).

Students will have to answer four questions

Teaching materials

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Students can choose among the following textbooks: Craig and De Burca, EU Law. Text, Cases, and Materials (OUP 8th edition 2024) or Chalmers, Davies, Monti and Heyvaert, European Union Law. Text and Materials (CUP 5th edition 2024) available online or Dawson and de Witte, EU Law and Governance, (CUP 2022) available online.