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European Union Law

Module description

The purpose of this module is to equip you with a thorough understanding of the key features of the European Union and its legal order. The European Union is the product of several decades of economic, political and legal integration between its Member States. Given the significant impact of EU law and policies on the Member States, understanding this area of law is vital for any practicing lawyer. The module is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by the Law Society and it is therefore compulsory for all of you who wish to progress onto the Vocational Stage of Training to become a solicitor or barrister. However, the study of EU law is also extremely rewarding from a more academic perspective, as it teaches us important lessons about the interaction between different legal orders, the limits of State sovereignty and the role of international institutions. The first part of the course will focus primarily on the institutional and procedural law of the EU, while the second part of the course will be concerned with the rules governing certain key substantive policy areas, in particular the law relating to the internal market.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the module is to provide you with a thorough understanding of the institutional law of the European Union as well as certain areas of its substantive law, together with an understanding of their impact on the national legal orders of the Member States. In doing so, the module focuses on the legal nature of the EU and its legal system, the functions of the EU institutions and their mutual interaction, the sources of EU law and the legislative process, the procedural law of the EU, including the judicial remedies available to institutions, Member States and private parties, as well as a range of substantive areas of EU law, such as the free movement of goods and the protection of fundamental rights..

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of the legal nature of the European Union and its legal order, including its competences, institutional structure, sources of law and key administrative procedures;
• 2. demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of key aspects of substantive EU law;
• 3. demonstrate knowledge and critical awareness of the interaction between European Union law and the domestic legal systems of the Member States, with particular reference to the United Kingdom;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. demonstrate knowledge of relevant legal concepts and their contextual, social and political implications;
• 5. demonstrate ability to confidently apply legal knowledge to a problem or case study and to discuss it;
• 6. demonstrate ability to integrate and assess relevant information from primary and secondary legal sources using appropriate interpretative techniques;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. demonstrate effective and accurate written communication skills in a manner appropriate to the discipline / different contexts;
• 8. demonstrate effective and accurate oral communication skills in a manner appropriate to the discipline / different contexts;
• 9. identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of library-based and electronic resources with some guidance;
• 10. demonstrate ability to interact effectively and proactively within a team / learning group and to share information and ideas; and
• 11. demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.

Syllabus plan

While the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• the basics and theories of EU law

• introduction to the institutions of EU law and its operational doctrines (e.g. supremacy)

• fundamental freedoms of EU law,

• fundamental rights,

• enforcement of EU law

• competition law

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Textbooks: P. Craig  and G. de Burca, EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (most recent edition)

D. Chalmers European Union Law (most recent edition)

C. Barnard European Union Law (most recent edition)

Collection of primary materials: N. Foster Blackstones EU Treaties & Legislation 2012–2013 (most recent edition)

Key words search

European Union Law