Law of the European Union

The Law of the European Union course aims to give students a comprehensive understanding of the key constitutional and substantive elements of EU Law. It will start by introducing the structure of the EU by examining its founding treaties, identifying its institutions and understanding their roles.

The European Union, now comprising 27 Member States, has evolved from relatively modest origins into an economic, social and political Union. The EU of today is comprised of a number of institutions which collectively possess a range of powers (or competences) to enact legal rules in policy areas that affect citizens’ everyday lives. Therefore, an understanding of the European Union and its legal system is a crucial component of legal education in every Member State.

Students will then consider the constitutional principles of EU Law, such as the doctrines of direct effect and supremacy. This material is important in order to critically consider the relationship between the EU and its Member States, whilst also providing an important foundation for understanding the substantive law of the EU. In this regard, this course will cover the EU’s rules on human rights; the EU’s internal market; the rules on the free movement of goods; and EU Competition Law.

The Law of the European Union course is a third-year course that forms part of either the Law undergraduate major or minor at the University. The University takes a more personal approach to education, teaching students through small group seminars and one-to-one tutorials to ensure the best possible learning environment and academic achievement. Law can be combined either as a major or minor with any of Art History, Creative Writing, Economics, English, History, Philosophy, or Politics and IR at the University.

Required for the Qualifying Law Degree.