Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza

Knowledge of both EU Law and International Law (general courses). Good knowledge of English, both written and spoken.

The external action of the European Union has consistently grown in scope and relevance over time and is today an essential component of many an EU policy. The European Union acts in the international arena on a wide variety of matters (trade, environment, development cooperation, human rights, foreign and defence policy...) and by different means (unilateral acts, treaties, participation in international organizations, field missions...), often through or alongside its Member States. Such activity affects the life of the international society and the Member States' exercise of external and internal sovereignty.

The course aims at enabling students to know and understand the legal underpinnings of EU external action from the intertwined perspectives of EU law and international institutional law. When it acts externally and internally, the EU is bound by international legal rules, on the one hand, and contributes to shape and develop them, on the other hand. At the same time, international institutional law itself acknowledges that the internal rules of an international organization (here, the EU) affect the fields of action and the means whereby the organization participates in the life of the international society. 

On completion of the course, students are expected to have a good knowledge and understanding of the legal aspects of the EU external relations, the interaction of EU law with international law, the contribution of the case law. Students should be able to critically analyse legal problems of EU external relations, identifying theoretical issues and discussing their application in actual cases.

For students attending the course, the topics included in the programme will be addressed through teacher’s presentations and the discussion in class of study materials. Study materials will mainly consist of slides presentations, videos, and readings (international legal documents, EU legal sources and case law, scientific articles).

The teaching blocks will be organised through a blend of different components: live sessions for lectures and interaction with students, individual study of materials, individual learning tests with individual and general feedback. It follows that constant attendance of classes and continuity of work by students is essential. Students attending the course must read the relevant materials, do the assignments and take part to the meetings regularly.

All materials and assignments will be included in a Syllabus regularly implemented and uploaded on Moodle.

It is imperative that students wishing to attend the course enrol in the teaching platform (Moodle) prior to the beginning of the course, to have full access to materials and communications.

Although it is strongly recommended to attend the course, students not being able to do so but willing to learn about EU External Relations Law will study individually on a textbook according to the instructions below.

For students attending the classes of the course, self-assessment of knowledge and understanding of the topics will be run through quizzes and class discussion throughout the course. Assignments consisting of case notes, briefing notes, legal opinions etc. will also be proposed to support students’ training. Students will be assigned a compulsory case study at the end on Module 1.

Accordingly, for students attending class, the final grade will consist of the weighted average of the following components:

1. Participation in class (20%) will be evaluated based on a regular path of submission of assignments, and on attendance and interaction with the lecturer and the class.
2. A compulsory individual case study (30%), upon completion of Module 1. It will be marked in the light of the understanding of the relevant issues, structure, legal reasoning, legal terminology.
3. An oral exam on the whole programme (50%).

For students not attending classes but studying individually on the textbook for the exam: oral examination. Knowledge and understanding of the topics will be ascertained with respect to theory and case law, according to the textbook (see below). 

Office hours will be held on a weekly basis in presence or via virtual meetings (the latters upon appointment: write to lorenza.mola@unito.it)

The programme consists of an Introduction and three modules:

Introduction: Foreign relations law as a field of scholarship: the peculiarities of EU external relations law; Foundations of EU External Relations Law: EU's international legal personality; values; principles; objectives

Module 1: EU external competence: existence, nature, scope;

Module 2: Actors and Tools of EU external action: EU institutions' powers; conclusion of international agreements; participation in international organizations; conduct of diplomatic and consular relations;

Module 3: EU law and international law: customary international law and international agreements concluded by the EU in the EU legal order; relations with and impact on international agreements of the Member States; international responsibility of the EU and international dispute settlement.

Prof. Jan Wouter’s classes are scheduled after completion of Module 1 and will deal with the EU in international organizations; the EU and international law; the EU in a multipolar word; and a particular extra topic.

For students attending class, only materials uploaded on Moodle and class notes.

For students not attending class, one of the following textbooks is recommended for preparation for the exam:

1. J. Wouters, F. Hoffmeister, G. De Baere, and T. Ramopoulos, The Law of EU External Relations. Cases, Materials and Commentary on the EU as an International Legal Actor, OUP, 2021, all chapters except for 6, 8, 9.

2. R. Wessel, J. Larik (Eds), EU External Relations Law. Text, Cases and Materials, Hart, 2020, all chapters except for 8, 10, 11, 13, 14.

Knowledge of international law and EU law is a pre-requisite. Knowledge of international institutional law is recommended.
All lectures will be in English.
Attendance is optional but recommended, and regular, active attendance will count for the 20% participation component of the final grade.
It is imperative that students wishing to attend the course enrol in the teaching platform (Moodle) prior to the beginning of the course.

 

GIU0825A - course unit of GIU0825 Advanced EU Law (TAF B) - I year

GIU0726 - free choice course (TAF D) - "Free from year course"

If the Combined Course GIU0825 is listed in your Study plan, its single course units can not be selected as "Free choice" courses (TAF D) and vice versa.