EU Internal Market Law

ldreu2206  2022-2023  Louvain-la-Neuve

EU Internal Market Law
5.00 credits
30.0 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Sibony Anne-Lise;
Language
English
Prerequisites
EU law [LDROI1226] or similar course covering institutional aspects of EU law and enforcement mechanisms.
If you have not taken such a course so far, you will need to catch up on some essential elements: the principle of primacy, vertical and horizontal direct effect (definition, conditions and implementation), the distinction between directives and regulations.) The books recommended in the bibliography below will help you.
Main themes
This course covers the core of substantive EU law, namely internal market law. More precisely, it deals with the four freedoms: free movement of goods, freedom of establishment, freedom to provide services and free movement of capital. It also covers citizenship and offers a brief introduction to EU competition law.
This course complements the basic course on EU law [LDROI1226], which focuses on EU institutions and deals with how legislation is produced as well as enforcement mechanisms of EU law. This course focuses on the content of (some) EU rules. It is complementary with other courses that cover other aspects of EU substantive law such as free movement of (natural) persons [LDREU2205], EU competition law [LDREU2208] or Firms and antitrust [LDFIRM2207], EU consumer law [LDREU2207] or EU labour law [LDROP2143].
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 Learning outcomes specific to EU lawAfter taking this course, you will have a basic command of internal market law and possess the know-how to apply the relevant legal rules in simple factual situations. You will be familiar with how various sources of European law interact, in particular treaty and directives.
Generic learning outcomesThis course also aims to provide opportunities to acquire horizontal skills that are useful beyond the practice of European law, in particular: 1) being able to identify legal rules applicable to a given factual situation and relevant in order to reach a practical aim; 2) being able to present in writing the legal analysis of a given factual situation clearly and correctly. At the end of the course, you will be able to identify whether or not European law governs a given factual situation. You will be capable of solving simple problems involving one or several of the four freedoms and develop on your own a legal reasoning following the most common patterns which will have been studied during the course. 
 
Content
This course covers the core of substantive EU law, namely internal market law. More precisely, it deals with the four freedoms: free movement of goods, freedom of establishment, freedom to provide services and free movement of capital. It also covers citizenship and offers a brief introduction to EU competition law.
1.      The internal market toolbox and customs union
2.      Free movement of goods
3.       Free movement of persons and services
a.      Free movement of workers
b.      Freedom of establishment
c.       Freedom to provide services
d.      European Citizenship
4.      Free movement of capital
5.     Brief introduction to competition law (art. 101 and 102 TFEU)
The methods which characterise European legislation, on the one hand (harmonisation, mutual recognition, administrative cooperation), and case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, on the other (typical patterns of reasoning), will be emphasised throughout the course. 
Teaching methods
This course is organized as an interactive lecture. Readings will be assigned before each class. For some classes you will also have to conduct some research and solve a hypothetical problem.
Evaluation methods
Assessment will consist in a 2-hour final written exam. The format is one essay question and one hypothetical. 
Assessment criteria are as follows:
  • ability to identify and analyse a legal issue in a given factual situation,
  • ability to correctly identify the applicable rule,
  • ability to clearly enunciate a legal rule
  • ability to adequately explain applicable legal rules
  • ability to justify the choice of a legal rule taking due account of the practical aims
  • exact knowledge of legal rules
  • ability to select relevant knowledge in relation to a given question or problem,
  • logical reasoning,
  • quality and sufficiency of reasons given to justify the analysis proposed or the point of view argued,
  • correct use of legal vocabulary
  • good, clear structure of written answer (link with the question, logical order of arguments, link between sentences and between paragraphs).
This written exam takes places in IT Rooms. Students have access to all EU legislation and case law (Eur-Lex, Curia websites) as well as an online multilingual dictionary. At the end of the exam, answers will be uploaded on Gradescope.
Other information
The examination questions will be in English. Students may choose to answer in French. Please note: choosing this option requires acquiring the appropriate technical vocabulary for the course in both languages.
The paper documents allowed in the examination are: treatises (any edition), the course pack (only the version printed at DUC) and bilingual dictionaries.
To be allowed at the exam, the course pack must not be annotated. However, it may contain highlighted text. Bookmarks (flags) may be used to facilitate navigation through the collection.
Online resources
The electronic version of the course pack (mandatory readings), supplementary readings as well as exercises and past exam papers will be available on Moodle.
Bibliography
Le manuel utilisé pour ce cours est:
Catherine Barnard, The Substantive Law of the EU: The Four Freedoms, Oxford: OUP, 2022 (Seventh Edition). Cet ouvrage est accessible gratuitement en version électronique sur la plateforme EU Law Trove (après identification).
Autres ouvrages de référence en anglais:
Paul Craig et Gráinne de Búrca, EULaw : Text, Cases, and Materials, Oxford : OUP, 2020 (7ème ed). Cet ouvrage couvre un domaine plus large que le cours, y compris le droit institutionnel. Il est disponible en version électronique sur la base de données EU Law Trove.
Robert Schütze, European Union Law, OUP, 2021 (3ème ed). Cet ouvrage couvre aussi un domaine plus large que le cours, y compris le droit institutionnel. Il est plus concis que Craig&de Búrca et que Barnard et est également disponible en version électronique sur EU Law Trove.
Karen Davis, Understanding EU Law, Abingdon: Routledge, 2019 (7ème ed) Cet ouvrage très concis sera particulièrement utile aux étudiants qui ont besoin d’apprendre ou de réviser rapidement les bases du droit insitutionnel et notamment le principe de primauté, l’effet direct et la distinction entre directives et règlements.
Teaching materials
  • EU INTERNAL MARKET LAW - Documents
Faculty or entity
BUDR


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Advanced Master in European Law

Master [120] in Law