Centre for European Legal Studies
About us
The Centre’s approach is critical, independent, comparative and contextual. It draws upon a diverse group of research staff and a unique legacy as one of the UK’s earliest and most influential centres in European Legal Studies.
The Centre engages with an international circle of scholars, practitioners, the political community and State and non-State actors. It is assisted in its work by an advisory board. In addition, the Centre maintains collaborative links with other research centres and disciplines on broader themes such as transnational private and commercial law, constitutionalism, human rights, and new forms of governance.
Established in 1972, CELS is one of the oldest centres of its kind in the UK.
CELS has close ties with the Centre for European Governance.
Members
The Centre engages with an international circle of scholars, practitioners, the political community and State and non-State actors. It is assisted in its work by an advisory board
Centre management
Name | Role | Research interests |
---|---|---|
Professor Joasia Luzak | Co-Director | European consumer law, European contract law, consumer behaviour, digital content, principle of transparency, big data and private law |
Co-Director | Competition Law, Competition Litigation, Private International Law |
Centre colleagues
Name | Research interests |
---|---|
Dr Ana Beduschi | Immigration and asylum law (International and European law aspects), International Human Rights law, European Human Rights system, Inter-American Human Rights system, European Union law (notably fundamental rights), International Human Rights Law. |
Dr Greta Bosch | Human Rights, Equality, Racial Equality, Non-discrimination, Diversity, Inclusivity, Interdisciplinarity, disparate performance |
Dr Catherine Caine | Environmental Law, Planning Law, Renewable Energy, NSIPs, EI |
Dr Matthew Cole | EU Competition Law, Digital markets, Tying, Article 102(d), Ordoliberalism, Behavioural economics, Behavioral economics, algorithmic pricing, artificial intelligence, Antitrust |
Richard Edwards | Human rights law, constitutional law and reform, free speech and aspects of criminal justice |
Dr James Griffin | Copyright, Intellectual Property Law, information theory (quantum and flow), knowledge theory, legal theory, biotech theory, creativity, and computer science (esp. tracking, watermarking and hex hacking). |
Saskia Hardcastle | Student member |
Georgia Hill | Student member |
Courtney Jones | Student member |
Dr Kubo Mačák | General international law, international humanitarian law, and the law of cyber security |
Thitinan Ngamsanguan | Student member |
Isahbella Rai | Student member |
Dr Frederic Rolland | Administrative Law, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory with a particular focus on the theory and practice of French Constitutional and Administrative Law in a historical context and comparative perspective |
Dr Isabella Rueda | Europeanization of Private Law, Comparative Law, Private International Law, Transnational Commercial Law |
Dr Aurel Sari | Specialising in public international law and the legal aspects of European security and defence policy. |
Shuo Wang | Student member |
Projects
Publications
Name | Publications (since 2017) |
---|---|
Joasia Luzak |
“The Transparent Trap: a Multidisciplinary Perspective on the Design of Transparent Online Disclosures in the EU” (2018) Journal of Consumer Policy, available here. |
Luzak J (2018). Digital age: time to say goodbye to traditional concepts. Journal of European Consumer and Market Law, 4 Full text. |
|
Luzak J (2020). The Steady Creep of an Average Consumer as a Reference Consumer in the Assessment of the Transparent Provision of Mandatory Information. Tijdschrift voor Consumentenrecht & handelspraktijken, 5 | |
Luzak J, Wiewiórowska-Domagalska A (2020). Case studies - Polish law. In Baaij CJW, Cabrelli D, Macgregor L (Eds.) Interpretation of Commercial Contracts in European Private Law, Intersentia | |
Luzak J (2020). A Broken Notion: Impact of Modern Technologies on Product Liability. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 11(3), 630-649. | |
Luzak J, van der Hof S (2018). Directive 2011/83/EU - Consumer Rights Directive (Electronic Commerce Aspects). In Gijrath S, van der Hof S, Lodder AR, Zwenne G-J (Eds.) Concise European Data Protection, E-Commerce and IT Law, Wolters Kluwer |
|
Luzak J (2018). Who Calls the Tune? Stock Taking of Behavioural Consumer Protection in Europe. In Micklitz H-W, Sibony A-L, Esposito F (Eds.) Research Methods in Consumer Law, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd: Full text. |
|
Luzak J (2017). Is all fair in war against unhealthy and unsustainable lifestyles? the right to privacy vs. modern technology in consumer contracts. In Siliquini-Cinelli L, Hutchison A (Eds.) The Constitutional Dimension of Contract Law. A Comparative Perspective, Springer, 39-59
Abstract. Full text. |
|
Luzak J (2019). Will the imaginary active consumers please stand up? Case note to Walbusch Walter Busch (C-430/17). Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law Full text. DOI. | |
Luzak J (2019). In the wind of change: Ten years of the EU consumer credit framework. Tijdschrift voor Consumentenrecht & handelspraktijken, 1, 2-4. Full text. |
|
Luzak J, Junuzović M (2019). Blurred Lines: Between Formal and Substantive Transparency in Consumer Credit Contracts. Journal of European Consumer and Market Law, 8, 97-107. Full text. |
|
Ana Beduschi | Beduschi AC (2018). Vulnerability on Trial: Protection of Migrant Children’s Rights in the Jurisprudence of International Human Rights Courts. Boston University International Law Journal, 36(1), 55-85.
Abstract. Full text. |
Mihail Danov |
|
Danov M (2020). Cross-Border Litigation: Evaluating the Brexit Impact – a Socio-Legal Model for Data Analysis. Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, 199-229. | |
“Cross-Border Aspects of EU Competition Law Enforcement: Comprehensive Reform Needed?” in: Tomljenovic V, Bodiroga-Vukobrat N, Butorac Malnar V, Kunda I (eds.) EU Competition and State Aid Rules: Public and Private Enforcement (2017 Springer) | |
“Cross-border Litigation in Europe: Some Theoretical Issues and Some Practical Challenges” in: Beaumont P, Danov M, Trimmings K, Yuksel B (eds.) Cross-Border Litigation in Europe (2017 Hart Publishing) | |
“Data Analysis: Important Issues to be Considered in a Cross-border Context” in: Beaumont P, Danov M, Trimmings K, Yuksel B (eds.) Cross-Border Litigation in Europe (2017 Hart Publishing) | |
“Effective remedies in cross-border civil and commercial law disputes: a case for an institutional reform at EU level” in: Beaumont P, Danov M, Trimmings K, Yuksel B (eds.) Cross-Border Litigation in Europe (2017 Hart Publishing) | |
“Introduction: Research Aims and Methodology” in: Beaumont P, Danov M, Trimmings K, Yüksel B (eds.) Cross-Border Litigation in Europe (2017 Hart Publishing) | |
“The relationship between litigation and ADR: Evaluating the effect of the EU PIL framework on ADR/settlements in cross-border cases” in: Beaumont P, Danov M, Trimmings K, Yuksel B (Eds.) Cross-Border Litigation in Europe (2017 Hart Publishing) | |
Kubo Macak & Sue Prince | Mačák K, Prince S (2017). Constitutional Brexit: Why we need courts to determine the constitutional arrangements of the UK. Politics Home (26 Jan 2017). Web link. |
Aurel Sari | Sari A (2017). Reversing a Withdrawal Notification under Article 50 TEU: can a Member State Change its Mind?. European Law Review, 42, 451-451. Full text. |
Kyriaki Noussia | Nousia KP (2018). The Legal Framework Regarding the Distribution of Insurance-Based Investment Products: the EU and UK Approach. Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation, 2018/4 Full text. |
Catherine Caine | “The place of the Rochdale envelope approach in offshore renewable energy” (2018) 20(2) Environmental Law Review |
“A fresh start for screening under the Habitats Regulations: Case c-323/17 People Over Wind, Peter Sweetman v Coillte Teoranta [2018] Ecr I-244” (2018) 20(3) Environmental Law Review | |
“Dieselgate” and Consumer Law: Repercussions of the Volkswagen scandal in the United Kingdom” (2017) 6(2) Journal of European Consumer and Market Law | |
Joseph Lee | Lee J (2017). Europe and Takeovers. In Alcock, Millett, Todd (Eds.) Gore-Browne on Companies, Jordan Publishing |
Severine Saintier | Saintier S (2017). Community energy companies in the UK: a potential model for sustainable development in "local" energy?. Sustainability (Switzerland), 9(8) Available online: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1325/pdf |
Catherine Dupré | ”Human Dignity is Inviolable. It must be Respected and Protected”: Retaining the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights after Brexit” (2018) 2 European Human Rights Law Review |
Matthew Cole | Cole M (2019). Does the EU Commission really hate the US? Understanding the Google decision through competition theory. European Law Review, 44 Full text. |
Timothy Dodsworth | Dodsworth TJ, Bisping C (2019). Energy Price Cap – a Disservice to Consumers. Journal of European consumer and market law, 2, 53-64 Dodsworth TJ (2017). Intermediaries as Sellers – a commentary on Wathelet. Journal of European Consumer and Market Law, 5, 213-215 |
McCann A (2019). The 'right to assisted suicide' and the institutional limits of judicial governance. European Journal of Comparative Law and Governance, 6(1), 1-5 | |
Mathilde Pavis |
Pavis MGA (2019). “In fashion, one day you are in, the next you are out”: comparative perspectives on the exclusion of fashion models from performers’ rights.
European Intellectual Property Review,
41(6), 347-358.
|
Karen Walsh | Walsh K (2019). Promoting Harmonisation across the European Patent System through Judicial Dialogue and Cooperation. International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, 50(4), 408-440 |
Walsh K, Hawkins N (2020). Expanding the Role of Morality and Public Policy in European Patent Law. In (Ed) Intellectual Property and Human Rights, Wolters Kluwer | |
Julia Schmidt | Schmidt J (2020). The European Union and the Use of Force., Brill, Nijhoff Schmidt J (2019). The European Union and the Responsibility to Protect. European Foreign Affairs Review, 24, 309-326. |
News
Digitalised societies: Can New EU Consumer Agenda protect consumers?
Advising the European Parliament on how to ‘Update the Unfair Contract Terms Directive for Digital Services’
Assessment of the quality of the legal aid services to Dutch consumers
Zotero Consumer Law Female Collective database: Promoting scholarship of women in consumer law
Helping the European Commission to evaluate Dutch implementation of the new Package Travel Directive>
Prof Luzak convenes 'The Transparent Trap: Disclosing Information to Consumers' conference in Amsterdam>
Cross-Border Litigation in England and Wales: Brexit Implications
Professor Joasia Luzak organises a conference 'Consumer Law in the Data Economy'
AG Eleanor Sharpston QC gives the annual Lasok Lecture
Professor Luzak contributes to an international project on collective redress mechanisms in environmental and consumer mass harm situations
Professor Luzak organised an international symposium "Transparency: where art thou in consumer protection?" on June 27.
Professor Luzak presents at the Conference on Research in Private and Market Law - Challenges for the 21st Century
Professor Joasia Luzak on revision of the e-privacy Directive in light of Brexit
Catherine Dupre co-convened an international conference on Icelandic constitutional reform.
European Constitutional Democracy in Peril - People, Principles, Institutions: International Conference Budapest June 23-24 2016
Professor Luzak investigates fitness of Consumer Law for the 21st Century
Anti-Democratic Ideology and Criminal Law under Fascist, National Socialist and Authoritarian Regimes, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London, 10-11 September 2015
Lethal Force, Policing and the ECHR: McCann and Others v UK at Twenty, Doughty Street Chambers, London, 25 March 2015
Events
2023 Lasok Lecture
Wednesday 8 November
12.30 - 13.30
In our centenary year the Lasok Lecture was held on Wednesday 8 November, presented by Christopher Docksey, Honorary Director-General of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and past lecturer at Exeter Law School.
His lecture 'The Court of Justice and Traits and Trends in Data Protection law' was a fascinating insight to the evolving legal landscape of data protection and GDPR.
We were also delighted to welcome Dominik's son Dr. Paul Lasok joined us to introduce Christopher.
You can access a recording of the event here.
Find out more about the Lasok Lecture series.
Other events
Past events here.
There are no current events to display, but please come back soon for updates.
Studying
LLM Masters of Law
The Exeter LLM is a substantive, rigorous, and genuinely flexible programme of postgraduate study designed for the most ambitious and capable students. Delivered by some of the biggest names in legal research, our LLM allows you to create a bespoke programme of learning addressing your specific academic and professional needs, readying you to fulfil your career ambitions or for doctoral study.
Find out more on our studying pages.
PhD study
We welcome applications from students wishing to study a PhD. You can see our main areas of research on the members tab. Find out more on our PhD pages.
Examples of our students:
Alptekin Koksal
'EU competition law and issues around the commercial use of 'Big Data''
Yanjun Shen
'The new legal framework of competition law in the digitalised EU market from the consumer welfare perspective'
Alexandra Böhme (with Politics)
'Constitutional Theory in Britain and Germany. Conceptual Challenges by Supranationalism and Internationalization'
Kim Soyeon
'Can ASEAN Benefit from the European Union's Experience in the Field of Facilitating Corporate Collaboration?'
Gisela Grabow (Germany)
'EU Law and 'best interest of the child' (jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement in Brussels II-bis; juridiction, recognition and enforcement in the traditional Hague Conventions)'
Hammad Hayssan (Egypt)
Subject of theses: 'Copyright Law'
Undergraduate study
Useful Links for students considering European legal studies
Contact us
Centre Co-Directors
Post
Centre for European Legal Studies
Law School - Amory Building
University of Exeter
Rennes Drive
Exeter
Devon
UK
EX4 4RJ