Face-to-face , first term, 45 hours of theory and 6 hours of tutorials without cases.

First term
Monday from 09:30 to 12:30

French

The aim is to familiarise the students with the key-concepts of law of the EU and more specifically the fundamental obligations, the general principles and the basic obligations included in the TEU, the TFEU and the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU (primary law). It is in line with the basic training provided by Ms. I. Hachez in her sources and principles of law course.

The course is built around a dual approach:
a) the specificities of the legal system of the European Union and its interaction with national and international law
b) the judicial protection deriving from this legal system

Secondary or derivative law is only involved as an illustration of the obligations of primary law. Thus, even if the guidelines for the protection of workers and consumers are regularly mentioned, they will not be studied in depth.

This course is part of a Jean Monnet Chair given to the course lecturer by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme (Decision 1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006) whose objective is "to stimulate teaching, reflection and debate on European integration," (Article 35). Jean Monnet Chairs are specialised teaching positions in European integration studies.

Given the importance exerted by EU law today, this course is essential to the learning of positive law. For most students, this course will provide a unique opportunity to learn the foundations of the EU, as with exception of the specialised master courses under the international law orientation, there is no other general course on this subject. In addition, it will allow students to follow more easily the substantive law course (public international law, private international law, fiscal law, etc.). Indeed, the matter that is addressed here interacts with a series of disciplines that are taught in third year of Bachelor and first year of Master.

For the Bachelor in Law :

None

Part 1: The nature of the Union
Part 2: The Constitutional Charter of the Union
Part 3: The institutions and their competences
Title 1. General Considerations
Title 2. Competences, functioning and composition of the institutions: the European Council, Council of Ministers, Commission, European Parliament, judicial bodies, Court of Auditors, European Investment Bank, Ombudsman, Advisory Bodies
Part 4: Judicial appeals
Part 5: Sources of EU law
Treaties, secondary legislation, International Law, PG Law, jurisprudence
Part 6: Judicial protection
Part 7: Fundamental Rights

Lecture based on the syllabus. Organised visit of the Court of Justice and the European Parliament. Two accompanying seminars given by Ms. Goddin, Official at the DG Competition of the European Commission.

Written examination consisting of two casus (40 points), a theoretical question (30 points) and knowledge questions (30 points). Students dispose the day of the examination, of the jurisprudence decisions studied in class as well as the treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The syllabus is particularly exhaustive. It outlines the subject matter systematically. The course syllabus systematises the course, which revolves mainly around an oral presentation and approximately sixty rulings of the EU courts, included in the portfolio of jurisprudence. The commented judgements are annexed to the syllabus.

We will use Powerpoint during the course, as well as EU-EC Treaties

EU law is particularly lively. To better understand the scope of the rules discussed in class, including the functioning of institutions, students are encouraged to read:
a) the Belgian press that carries extensive daily analyses of policies pursued by the EU
b) the websites of the EU
c) the programmes of the TV channel Euronews

Syllabus