Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ECL3004

 
TITLE EU Internal Market Law

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT European and Comparative Law

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit deals with the law about the internal market of the EU. The primary aim is to give a clear presentation of the essentials and to provide the student with the appropriate tools for further in-depth thought and reading. The main focus of the unit is on the 'four freedoms, goods, persons services and capital' and is geared towards a clear understanding of the reasoning and aims behind the main principles.

This study-unit examines the norms that govern the establishment and maintenance of the internal market (free movement of goods, persons, capital and the freedom of establishment and provision of services). The study-unit aims at examining the substantive law from two perspectives: on the one hand, the focus is on the major role that the “four freedom” rules have had in the economic construction of the EU (integrative role) and on the other we will examine the abundant developments that these substantive rules have given rise to in the jurisprudential field (ECJ judgments and Commission decisions) and in the legislative field (regulations and directives).

Study-unit Aims

The aims and objectives of the study-unit are to impart to students an understanding of the rationale behind the economic integration of the EU and the course it has taken in the last 60/70 years. The aims are as follows:

1. to provide the students with a good exposition of the economic law of the EU thus familiarization with the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital;
2. to expose students with the necessary legal instrument and case-law about the topic;
3. to help the students understand how the law in this filed continue to develop;
4. to familiarise the students with practical case-studies involved with the four freedoms.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

a) Compute basic sources of EU Internal Market law to keep updated with ongoing developments;
b) Analyse the legal basis in the Treaties, the secondary legal instruments and the relevant case-law;
c) Define, recognise and restate the position at law re the Internal Market;
d) Discuss and illustrate the issues involved to third parties including other lawyers;
e)Interpret the legal regime on the subject by interpreting new and existing EU legislation and case-law;
d) Prepare reports and illustrate issues about a particular given legal position in EU law;
e) Plead and argue EU law issues in a court of law.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of the Internal Market legislation and be able to have sufficient basic to knowledge to enable them to practice in this field or to take more advanced courses.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings

Craig and De Burca, “EU Law Text, Cases and Materials” Oxford University Press 5th Edition, 2011 (or later edition)
• J. Steiner and L. Woods, “EU Law” Oxford University Press, latest edition
• TC Hartley, “The Foundations of European Union Law” Oxford University Press, latest edition
• N.Foster, “EU Treaties and legislation” Balckstone Press, latest edition.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-Requisite Study-units: ECL2001 (the EU law unit for 2nd year)

Students taking this study-unit need to have a background in law.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (2 Hours) SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Jelena Agranovska
Joseph Bugeja
Ivan Sammut

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit