European Union Law
Lecture notes
Lecture 1: The project of European Integration
European Union law
How can EU law have effect on the life of individuals Brexit. One possible scenario, the UK will leave
the EU without a deal. Why is this problematic for individuals? Students for example can be affected,
Erasmus program. Decisions that are taken on supranational level can have an impact on individual
situations.
The EU projects
- Historical development of EU integration
Goals and phases
- EU political institutions and EU decision making
EU Institutions: composition and functions
EU law sources
Prior knowledge
What is the current structure of the EU? The Lisbon treaty 2009, two separate treaty: Treaty of the
European Union and the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union.
TEU: General provisions (democratic principles, EU principles, institutions, enhanced cooperation,
external action)
TFEU: Specific provisions (rules on EU competences, functioning of: institutions, policies, decision
making)
These treaties have the same value. Protocols (footnotes to the treaties) of the treaties and charter of
fundamental rights has the same value as the treaties, still a binding instrument.
EU Primary law.
Origins and drivers of EU integration
Historical context in which the EU was created.
19th century: Unification of the nation states (Germany – Italy), Nationalism. (push towards unification;
prior boundaries.. too small!)
Political power is linked too a certain community transformed into a more aggressive narrative of
national states competing on national level (for example, who has the most colonies etc.)
20th century: national conflicts on a world scale: two world wars.
What can be used to use a limit to this nationalist perspective: states can create supranational
authorities (international organizations) whose function and powers is to limit the threat to
international community to establish peace.
Community of states can act as a whole. The idea that international organizations can limit the
potention of the conflict between states bases of UN and ECHR.
Goal: long-lasting peace
Strategy: supranational
1945: UN
1950: ECHR European Court of Human Rights, based on the ECHR treaty and established in
Strasbourg. Differs from the court of justice in Luxemburg.
Lecture notes
Lecture 1: The project of European Integration
European Union law
How can EU law have effect on the life of individuals Brexit. One possible scenario, the UK will leave
the EU without a deal. Why is this problematic for individuals? Students for example can be affected,
Erasmus program. Decisions that are taken on supranational level can have an impact on individual
situations.
The EU projects
- Historical development of EU integration
Goals and phases
- EU political institutions and EU decision making
EU Institutions: composition and functions
EU law sources
Prior knowledge
What is the current structure of the EU? The Lisbon treaty 2009, two separate treaty: Treaty of the
European Union and the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union.
TEU: General provisions (democratic principles, EU principles, institutions, enhanced cooperation,
external action)
TFEU: Specific provisions (rules on EU competences, functioning of: institutions, policies, decision
making)
These treaties have the same value. Protocols (footnotes to the treaties) of the treaties and charter of
fundamental rights has the same value as the treaties, still a binding instrument.
EU Primary law.
Origins and drivers of EU integration
Historical context in which the EU was created.
19th century: Unification of the nation states (Germany – Italy), Nationalism. (push towards unification;
prior boundaries.. too small!)
Political power is linked too a certain community transformed into a more aggressive narrative of
national states competing on national level (for example, who has the most colonies etc.)
20th century: national conflicts on a world scale: two world wars.
What can be used to use a limit to this nationalist perspective: states can create supranational
authorities (international organizations) whose function and powers is to limit the threat to
international community to establish peace.
Community of states can act as a whole. The idea that international organizations can limit the
potention of the conflict between states bases of UN and ECHR.
Goal: long-lasting peace
Strategy: supranational
1945: UN
1950: ECHR European Court of Human Rights, based on the ECHR treaty and established in
Strasbourg. Differs from the court of justice in Luxemburg.
