Instructional goals
The aim of the course is to provide a general overview of the EU institutional architecture, EU legal order and EU internal market. Students should reach a satisfactory level of knowledge of the topics included in the program and should be able to develop a critical approach to the concepts and the information acquired during the course.
Prerequisites
None
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
The History of European Integration. The European Union. The EU Institutional architecture. The EU Legal order: Primary law and Legislative acts. The EU General Principles and the Protection of Fundamental Rights. The Enforcement of EU Law in the domestic legal order (Supremacy of EU Law; direct and indirect effects). The European Court of Justice and its functioning (direct actions and preliminary rulings procedure). The EU Competences. The Legislative Powers and Procedures. The Executive Powers. The External Powers of the Union. The EU internal market (free movements of goods, persons, services). EU Competition Law
Reference Books
Textbook: R. Schütze European Union Law, Cambridge University Press, 2025, chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17.
The textbook will be supplemented by slides and other reading material indicated at the beginning of the course.
Teaching Methods
Traditional lectures with the support of slides, discussion on documents and/or cases studies.
Assessment Method
There will be an intermediate test in week 7.
For students who pass the intermediate test, the mark will be weighted as follows:
50% intermediate test result; 50% oral exam.
For the students who do not take the intermediate test: final oral exam.
Thesis assignment criteria
Thesis will be assigned to students obtaining a minimum mark of 28/30.
Week 1
General presentation of the course
Methodology seminar: How to access and how to read EU law sources? How to read a judgment?
Week 2
1. Origins and development of European integration
The History of European Integration
The European Union and the Lisbon Treaty.
Ref. Chapter 1 of the Textbook
2. The European Institutional architecture (I)
The European Parliament
The European Council and the Council of Ministers.
Ref. Chapter 3 of the Textbook.
Week 3
2. The European Institutional architecture (II)
The Commission
The CJEU
Other Institutions and organs
Ref. Chapter 4 of the Textbook
3. The European Institutional architecture (IV)
EU Membership, values and goals
Ref. Chapter 19 of the Textbook (spec. pp. 918-922)
Week 4
4. The EU legal order (I)
Introduction
Primary Law
Ref. Chapter 5 (section 1) of the Textbook
4. The EU legal order (II)
EU General Principles
The protection of fundamental rights
Ref. Chapter 12 of the Textbook
Week 5
4. The EU legal order (III)
Secondary Law
Ref. Chapter 5 (sections 2, 3 and 4) of the Textbook
4. The EU legal order (IV)
The relationship between EU law and national legal orders: Primacy, Direct effect, and Consistent interpretation
Ref. Chapters 6 and 11 of the Texbook
Week 6
5. The European Court of Justice and the Judicial Powers (I)
The preliminary ruling procedure
5. The European Court of Justice and the Judicial Powers (II)
Procedures before the EU Court of Justice
Direct actions
Chapter 10 of the Textbook
Week 7
Intermediate test
Week 8
6. The Legislative Powers of the Union (I) Scope and Nature
Subsidiarity and Proportionality
6. The Legislative Powers of the Union (II)
Legislative Procedures
Ref: Chapter 7 of the Textbook.
Week 9
7. The Executive Powers of the Union: Governmental Powers
Delegated Powers
Direct and Indirect Administration
Ref. Chapter 9 of the Textbook
8. The External Powers of the Union: Treaty-Making Procedure.
Scope and Nature.
Mixed Agreements
Ref. Chapter 8 of the Textbook
Week 10
9. The Internal Market: Overview and Free Movement of Goods
Ref: Chapter 13 of the Textbook
Week 11
9. The Internal Market: Free Movement of Persons, Services, and Capital
Ref: Chapters 15 and 16 of the Textbook.
Week 12
Guest lecture: Seminar on the European Banking Union
10. EU Competition Law: Overview, Art. 101 and Art. 102 TFEU and Merger Control.
Ref: Chapter 17 of the Textbook.