European Law
NOTES
Isabell Göttmann
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LAW | Y1 Q3 RUG `22
,Table of Contents
WEEK I.................................................................................................................................... 2
WORKSHOP I............................................................................................................................. 9
WEEK II: ATTRIBUTION AND COMPETENCES....................................................................... 11
WORKSHOP II.......................................................................................................................... 22
WEEK III: EU INSTITUTIONS AND LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES.............................................. 25
WORKSHOP III......................................................................................................................... 30
WEEK IV: SUPREMACY AND NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL LAW....................................... 34
WORKSHOP IV........................................................................................................................ 47
WEEK V: EFFECTS OF EU LAW IN NATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEMS............................................ 49
WORKSHOP V......................................................................................................................... 58
WEEK VI: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN EU LAW...................................................................... 64
WORKSHOP VI........................................................................................................................ 74
1
,Week I
For the purpose of this course, “EU law” has a specific, narrow meaning: the law
produced by the European Union (EU), and in the past, by the European
Economic Community (EEC) and the European Community (EC)
e.g., the ECHR is a creation of the Council of Europe piece of international
law (not of EU law in the narrow sense)
EEC EC EU
1957: Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community, EEC
o Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands
1973: 9 MS in EEC
1981: 10 MS
1986: 12 MS
1992 – 1993: Treaty of Maastricht: EEC was renamed in European Community
(EC) + European Union was created
1995: 15 MS was now called EU
EU enlargement and Brexit
1997 – 1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2001 – 2003: Treaty of Niece invokes important reforms
2004 – 2007; MS – enlargement towards the East
2007 – 2009: Treaty of Lisbon: EC and EU merged as EU
2013: 28 MS
Brexit: 31/01/2020 UK left 27 MS
The Treaties
1957: Rome Treaty – EEC (source of legal rules) signed – 1958 in force
1992: Maastricht Treaty – EU and EC Treaties – 1993 in force
1997: Amsterdam Treaty – EU & EC Treaty – 1999 in force
2001: Nice Treaty – TEU & TEC – 2003 in force
2007: Lisbon Treaty – TEU &TFEU – 2009 in force
Each new treaty introduces some new provisions and changes some provisions
of the precedent treaty, but many provisions of a precedent treaty continue to
live in the new treaty, in a re-numbered and slightly re-formulated article
o ECJ Judgements on “old” treaties are still valid!
2
, The 4 Freedoms – Internal Market
Free movement of goods – Title II TFEU (of persons, services and capital – Title IV
TFEU)
Free movement of goods: Art. 28 – 37 TFEU
Free movement of workers: Art. 45 – 48 TFEU
Freedom of establishment: Art. 49 – 55 TFEU
Freedom to provide services: Art. 56 – 62 TFEU
Free movement of capital: Art. 63 – 66 TFEU
EU Institutions – Art. 13 TFEU
European Parliament: Art. 14 TEU / arts. 223 – 234 TFEU
o Elected by popular vote (5y.)
o 751 MEPs
European Council: Art. 15 TEU / arts. 235 – 236 TFEU
o Heads of state or governments of each MS
Council: Art. 15 TEU / arts. 237 – 243 TFEU
o Ministers from MS’s governments
European Commission: Art. 17 TEU / arts. 244 – 250 TFEU
o One national of each MS, but EU interests
Court of Justice EU: Art. 19 TEU / arts. 251 – 281 TFEU
European Central Bank: Arts. 127 – 133 TFEU
Court of Auditors: Arts. 285 – 287 TFEU
Who produces EU law?
European Parliament? YES!
European Council? NO (at least not formally)! BUT:
o Plays a crucial role in new treaties much more than advisory body
o Does not hold legislative/executive power (only in the sense of taking
basic decisions)
o Relevant from a view of substance
o NB European Council ≠ Council of Europe
Council? YES
European Commission? YES
Court of Justice of the EU? YES
3
NOTES
Isabell Göttmann
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LAW | Y1 Q3 RUG `22
,Table of Contents
WEEK I.................................................................................................................................... 2
WORKSHOP I............................................................................................................................. 9
WEEK II: ATTRIBUTION AND COMPETENCES....................................................................... 11
WORKSHOP II.......................................................................................................................... 22
WEEK III: EU INSTITUTIONS AND LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES.............................................. 25
WORKSHOP III......................................................................................................................... 30
WEEK IV: SUPREMACY AND NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL LAW....................................... 34
WORKSHOP IV........................................................................................................................ 47
WEEK V: EFFECTS OF EU LAW IN NATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEMS............................................ 49
WORKSHOP V......................................................................................................................... 58
WEEK VI: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN EU LAW...................................................................... 64
WORKSHOP VI........................................................................................................................ 74
1
,Week I
For the purpose of this course, “EU law” has a specific, narrow meaning: the law
produced by the European Union (EU), and in the past, by the European
Economic Community (EEC) and the European Community (EC)
e.g., the ECHR is a creation of the Council of Europe piece of international
law (not of EU law in the narrow sense)
EEC EC EU
1957: Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community, EEC
o Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands
1973: 9 MS in EEC
1981: 10 MS
1986: 12 MS
1992 – 1993: Treaty of Maastricht: EEC was renamed in European Community
(EC) + European Union was created
1995: 15 MS was now called EU
EU enlargement and Brexit
1997 – 1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2001 – 2003: Treaty of Niece invokes important reforms
2004 – 2007; MS – enlargement towards the East
2007 – 2009: Treaty of Lisbon: EC and EU merged as EU
2013: 28 MS
Brexit: 31/01/2020 UK left 27 MS
The Treaties
1957: Rome Treaty – EEC (source of legal rules) signed – 1958 in force
1992: Maastricht Treaty – EU and EC Treaties – 1993 in force
1997: Amsterdam Treaty – EU & EC Treaty – 1999 in force
2001: Nice Treaty – TEU & TEC – 2003 in force
2007: Lisbon Treaty – TEU &TFEU – 2009 in force
Each new treaty introduces some new provisions and changes some provisions
of the precedent treaty, but many provisions of a precedent treaty continue to
live in the new treaty, in a re-numbered and slightly re-formulated article
o ECJ Judgements on “old” treaties are still valid!
2
, The 4 Freedoms – Internal Market
Free movement of goods – Title II TFEU (of persons, services and capital – Title IV
TFEU)
Free movement of goods: Art. 28 – 37 TFEU
Free movement of workers: Art. 45 – 48 TFEU
Freedom of establishment: Art. 49 – 55 TFEU
Freedom to provide services: Art. 56 – 62 TFEU
Free movement of capital: Art. 63 – 66 TFEU
EU Institutions – Art. 13 TFEU
European Parliament: Art. 14 TEU / arts. 223 – 234 TFEU
o Elected by popular vote (5y.)
o 751 MEPs
European Council: Art. 15 TEU / arts. 235 – 236 TFEU
o Heads of state or governments of each MS
Council: Art. 15 TEU / arts. 237 – 243 TFEU
o Ministers from MS’s governments
European Commission: Art. 17 TEU / arts. 244 – 250 TFEU
o One national of each MS, but EU interests
Court of Justice EU: Art. 19 TEU / arts. 251 – 281 TFEU
European Central Bank: Arts. 127 – 133 TFEU
Court of Auditors: Arts. 285 – 287 TFEU
Who produces EU law?
European Parliament? YES!
European Council? NO (at least not formally)! BUT:
o Plays a crucial role in new treaties much more than advisory body
o Does not hold legislative/executive power (only in the sense of taking
basic decisions)
o Relevant from a view of substance
o NB European Council ≠ Council of Europe
Council? YES
European Commission? YES
Court of Justice of the EU? YES
3
