EU Legal System & Political System

Enseignants

Cabrita Teresa; Defacqz Samuel;

Langue
d'enseignement

Anglais

Thèmes abordés

This course provides students with an introduction to the legal and political system of the European Union based on both a theoretical and a practical approach.
In the legal part of the course, students are introduced to the system of principles, rules and corresponding enforcement mechanisms that (in)form the EU as a legal subject and a legal order. The course begins by tracing the evolution of the EU legal order over time and examining the values, principles and objectives that shape the EU as a ‘legal experiment’. The attention then turns to the function and composition of the different EU institutions, the sources of EU law and the hierarchy between them, the types of EU competence and how this competence is exercised, and the complex system of judicial protection against breaches of EU law available before national and EU courts. This part of the course highlights the ‘specific characteristics’ of the EU legal system while encouraging students to critically reflect on whether this system could serve as a model for regional integration in other parts of the world. It also invites reflection on some of the main challenges or emergencies currently facing the EU, such as defence or the fight against climate change.
In the political part of the course, the students study the European Union as a political system. This section of the course begins with an introduction to the main political science theories explaining the emergence, development, and design of European integration. The course then explores the EU’s institutional architecture and its main actors. Attention is first paid to the composition, the internal functioning, the tasks, the main political dynamics, and the areas of tension within each political institution. In examining these aspects, the interactions between the institutions are also examined, focusing on the interinstitutional and interstate dynamics of EU policymaking. In addition, the course discusses the input side of the EU’s political system (elections, public opinion, interest representation) as well as the output side (EU policies and policy instruments). The course addresses contemporary issues, such as the politicization of the EU, Euroscepticism, and debates surrounding democracy and legitimacy in times of emergency.

Acquis
d'apprentissage

A la fin de cette unité d’enseignement, l’étudiant est capable de :

EU Legal system Understand the key milestones in the evolution of the EU legal order and critically discuss the tensions underlying EU legal integration, Explain the processes of accession to and withdrawal from the EU, Explain the composition, functioning and institutional balance between the different EU institutions, Understand the different types of EU competences, the main principles governing the exercise of such competences, and their relation to Member States’ competence, Explain the processes for the adoption of EU acts and the relevance of technical and political trilogues therein, Understand the effects of EU acts and apply key EU law concepts (conferral, primacy and direct effect) to specific practical cases, Understand the main features of the EU system of judicial protection, and Critically reflect on and debate current challenges facing the EU legal order. EU Political system Describe and differentiate the main political theories of European integration Explain how the EU and its institutions work and how EU policies are made Analyse key challenges and topics in contemporary EU politics, and Critically assess the nature and functioning of the EU

Modes d'évaluation
des acquis des étudiants

The examination for this learning unit includes both the assessment of a graded practical exercise (40%) and a final written exam (60%). The grades for the practical exercise will carry over to the August session (resit).
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems is not encouraged in this course. However, if AI systems are used during assessments, students are required to submit a print-screen or transcription of the exchange had with the chosen AI system(s), together with a paragraph explaining the reasons for resorting to AI and the advantages and disadvantages found in the use of this method.

Faculté ou entité
en charge

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