Academic year: 2022-23
Course: Foundation Course Science
Credits: 3
Period: Second semester
Number of hours: 24
Teacher(s): To be appointed
Language of instruction: English
Learning outcomes
The module ‘Introduction to European Union Law’ aims to introduce the institutional apparatus of the European Union and the sources of law of this international organisation to students who have never studied this subject before. It also aims to briefly explain the functioning of the organisation, the status of European citizens, the structure of the common internal market, the interaction of the union with third states.
Knowledge
The student who successfully completes the course will acquire the basic knowledge about the functioning and structure of the European Union. More specifically, the course will examine how the political institutions of the EU are appointed, what their powers are and how they interact with each other. It will also identify the sources of EU law, starting with the Treaties, the decision-making procedures and the actions that can be brought before the Court of Justice.
Assessment criteria of knowledge
The student knowledge will be assessed on his/her ability to discuss the contents of the module with the appropriate terminology during the final knowledge verification test, in the form of an oral exam.
Skills
The student who successfully completes the course will be able to distinguish the EU from other European international organisations; she/he will be also able to describe the institutional framework of the EU, to distinguish between different sources of EU law, and to understand the aim and function of the acts of the EU institutions.
Assessment criteria of skills
The student skills will be assessed on his/her ability to interact with the other students & the teacher and show critical thinking regarding the contents of the module throughout the course, also by mean of mid-term reading and comprehension exercises, in the form of written quizzes.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are required for this course.
Teaching methods
The module will cover a period of 9 weeks and will be divided into 9 lessons of 2 hours per week. The lessons will be held using, inter alia, digital presentations and reading material. Any communication with the teacher will ordinarily take place by e-mail. Preliminary and subsequent tests in the form of quiz could be presented to the students to facilitate the organization of the lectures.
Syllabus
1. The origins and developments of the European integration process.
2. Differences between the European Union and other international organisations.
3. The institutional framework and the sources of EU law.
4. The political institutions and the competences of the EU.
5. The Court of Justice of the EU and the monitoring of compliance with EU law.
6. To be an EU citizen: related rights and freedoms.
7. The EU internal market and the antitrust legislation.
8. The external action of the EU: the relations with third States.
9. Accession and withdrawal to/from the EU Treaties.
Bibliography
All the necessary studying material will be provided by the teacher in an electronic form on the Moodle of the course. The didactic resources will be available at the beginning of the module and/or of each lesson.
Assessment methods
The examination of the knowledge and skills acquired by the students will be carried out in two different and complementary ways: firstly, by means of 2/3 reading & comprehension exercises, which will be held throughout the course in the form of written quizzes; secondly, by means of a final oral exam with the aim to assess the outcomes of the course.