Instructional goals
Ability to analyze legal aspects of European integration and its influence on Italian legal order, with reference to general and institutional profiles.
Prerequisites
International Law.
Intended learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the legal roots of European integration, its evolution, methodology, functioning, and of some of its most important and controversial policies.
Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to frame the current problems of European integration within the institutional legal context of EU.
Making judgements: acquisition and application of the legal tools for the understanding of EU institutional dynamics.
Communications skills: ability to elaborate, in oral and written form, legally correct information, solidly based on normative data, concerning the functioning of the EU and some of its policies.
Learning skills: maturation of a capacity of reading the process of European integration in the perspective of its possible future developments.
Course Contents
Origins, evolution and main characteristics of European integration. Structures, goals and principles of the European Union. Delimitation of competences between European Union and Member States. European citizenship. EU institutions. Inter-institutional procedures. Sources of EU law. Judiciary competences. Relationship between EU law and Italian legal order. Basic notions of EU material law.
Reference Books
U. Villani, Istituzioni di Diritto dell’UE, VII ed., Bari, 2024. Additional readings will be suggested during classes.
Specific extended syllabus: in addition to the main textbook, E. Triggiani, Spunti e riflessioni sull’Europa, III ed., Bari, 2021.
Teaching Methods
Traditional lecture, cases studies.
Assessment Method
Four tests will take place during the course. Details of each test will be announced at the beginning of the course.
Final assessment
For attending students who pass all the four tests: in-class tests results 60%; individual oral examination on topics of weeks 8-12 40%.
For attending students who pass three tests during the lectures: in-class tests results 40%; individual oral examination on the other parts of the course 60%).
Those who pass less than three tests are deemed as non-attending students. They will take a written exam pass/fail and, in case of a positive outcome, an oral exam on a specific extended syllabus (listed under ‘Reference Books’).
It is possible to refuse the final grade only once and in aggregate (i.e., it is not allowed to accept the grade given for single in-class tests).
Thesis assignment criteria
Final grade: at least 28.
Week 1
Introduction to the course. History of the European Treaties. The communitarian approach.
Week 2
EU values and human rights.
Week 3
Delimitation of competences between European Union and Member States. First test (based on the topics of the first week).
Week 4
Structure of the EU. EU institutions: the EP; the Commission.
Week 5
EU institutions: the European Council and the Council; the other institutions. Second test (based on the topics of the second week).
Week 6
Decision-making procedures.
Week 7
Third test: group test on the topics dealt with in the the third week.
Week 8
Sources of EU Law (1).
Week 9
Sources of EU law (2).
Week 10
The competences of the CJEU: infringement; annulment. The other direct competences.
Week 11
Preliminary ruling procedure. Fourth test (based on the topics of weeks 4-6).
Week 12
Relationship between EU law and Italian legal order.