Law School Module Details

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title Law of the European Union
Code LAW210
Coordinator Prof PM Dougan
Law
M.Dougan@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2020-21 Level 5 FHEQ Whole Session 30

Aims

To introduce the constitutional and institutional law of the European Union;
To develop an understanding of EU legislative procedures; the nature and limits of Union competence; and the system of judicial review governing Union acts;
To explore the application of EU law within national legal systems;
To encourage you to think critically about the integration process, e.g., the democratic character of EU decision-making processes and the effectiveness of the system of judicial protection against Union acts.
To examine the development of EU law relating to the free movement of goods, free movement of workers and free movement of economically inactive citizens (such as students and retired persons). To explore and understand doctrinal and policy problems as relevant to the topics under consideration.


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) Demonstrate a basic understanding of the constitutional and institutional law of the European Union.

(LO2) Understand, apply, and critique the Union legal method.

(LO3) Handle Union legal materials, including the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, EU Treaties and Union legislation.

(LO4) Think critically about the evolving process of EU integration.

(LO5) Apply specialist knowledge to consider contemporary issues in the field of study.

(LO6) Think critically about the evolving process of less EU integration

(LO7) Understand how Union law is enforced in substantive areas.

(LO8) Apply provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and EU secondary legislation to substantive issues.

(LO9) Understand Opinions of Advocates General and judgements of the Court of Justice and critically assess their contribution to the development of EU law.

(LO10) Solve problems in these areas and discuss the process of European integration.

(LO11) Appreciate similarities and differences between EU free movement law as it applies to goods, on the one hand, and persons, on the other hand.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S3) Research skills - Awareness of /commitment to academic integrity

(S4) Time and project management - Project planning

(S5) Critical thinking and problem solving - Evaluation

(S6) Skills in using technology - Using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

(S7) Critical thinking and problem solving - Evaluation

(S8) Critical thinking and problem solving - Evaluation

(S9) Critical thinking and problem solving - Problem identification

(S10) Critical thinking and problem solving - Synthesis

(S11) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)


Syllabus

 

The topics of the syllabus will cover areas such as;
1) fundamentals of EU legal order, e.g. Treaties and hierarchy of legal norms
2) EU institutions (European Council, Council, European Parliament, Commission etc) and decision-making processes (legislative and non-legislative)
3) EU system of competences, e.g. attributed powers, subsidiarity, proportionality, Charter of Fundamental Rights, general principles of Union law, judicial review of Union acts
4) EU law in Member State legal systems, e.g. consistent interpretation, direct effect, primacy, effective judicial protection
5) EU law in the UK legal system: UK withdrawal from EU; key features of EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement; key features of domestic system of “retained EU law
6) Introduction to the Internal Market and Customs Union
7) Free movement of goods: fiscal barriers
8) Free movement of goods: non-fiscal barriers
9) Free movement of persons: work ers
10) Free movement of persons: non-economically active Union citizens


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Learning and teaching on this module will be structured in accordance with the principles of Hybrid Active Learning with asynchronous materials and synchronous seminar sessions. Asynchronous recordings provide material previously addressed in physical lectures, suitably broken down (‘chunking’) and augmented (e.g. quizzes etc) so as to enhance student engagement. Synchronous sessions will run on a fortnightly pattern across the semesters (i.e. 12 in total) and will each have a duration of 2 hours.

12 x 2 hour synchronous seminars – online and / or FTF-SD as required
- introduction to module and EU law
- EU institutions and decision-making procedures
- EU system of competences
- EU law in Member State legal systems
- EU law in the UK legal system
- mid-module summative coursework preparation
- introduction to Internal Market
- fiscal barriers to free movement of goods
- non-fiscal barriers to free movement of goods
- free movement of workers
- free movement of non-economically inactive citizens
- end-module summative coursework preparation

Note: substantive seminars will work as follows:
- advance reading and questions, including clearly identified topic for in-session “group work”;
- seminar opens with tutor-led structured discussion to address key points / clarify student queries;
- students then organised into groups to discuss the relevant “group work” issue and prepare a collective response;
- seminar concludes with brief group presentations / discussion.

Asynchronous content: recorded sessions (approx. 30 minutes each); grouped and released together in topic “packages” corresponding to seminars; focus will be on key principles / themes (i.e. less technical detail, which can be left to core and further reading)
- introduction to EU law < br/>- EU institutions and decision-making procedures
- EU system of competences
- EU law in Member State legal systems
- EU law in the UK legal system
- introduction to Internal Market
- fiscal barriers to free movement of goods
- non-fiscal barriers to free movement of goods
- free movement of workers
- free movement of non-economically inactive citizens

For each main topic “package”: provision of additional online resources, e.g. dedicated podcast which poses key question, invites students to pause video and make notes to answer it, then students resume video to hear “model” answer.

Asychronous Recorded lectures and Activities 24 x 2hr – 44 hr

Synchronous Seminars 12 x 2hr – 24 hr

Note: 3 x 1 hour drop-in sessions replaced by new general system of weekly online office hours (i.e. 4 hours per week by each member of staff, 2 hours per week by GTAs).< /p>

See above and below, i.e.

- Fortnightly synchronous seminars
- Extensive asynchronous content
- Weekly online office hours
- Regular formative assessment


Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 44

24

        68
Timetable (if known)              
Private Study 232
TOTAL HOURS 300

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Coursework (sem 2) 45% module weighting – 2000 word limit  -2000 words    45       
MCQ component (sem 1) 5% module weighting MCQs are marked on pass/fail basis – students must achieve 80% i.e. complete 4/5 MCQ exercises each semester to gain 5%.  complete 4/5 MCQ exe         
MCQ component (sem 2) 5% module weighting MCQs are marked on pass/fail basis – students must achieve 80% i.e. complete 4/5 MCQ exercises each semester to gain 5%.  complete 4/5 MCQ exe         
Coursework (sem 1) 45% module weighting – 2000 word limit  -2000 words    45       

Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.

Other Staff Teaching on this Module

Dr SJ Currie Law Samantha.Currie@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr F Cengiz Law Firat.Cengiz@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr AK Gideon Law A.K.Gideon@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr T Horsley Law Thomas.Horsley@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr S Reynolds Law S.Reynolds@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr K Sowery Law Katy.Sowery@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr AW Woodhouse Law A.Woodhouse2@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr A Willems Law A.Willems@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr D Irakiza English Language Centre D.Irakiza2@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr TO Mobegi Student Recruitment, WP and Admissions Tomkeen.Mobegi@liverpool.ac.uk
Ms DA Lawson Law d.lawson@liverpool.ac.uk

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 

Co-requisite modules:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

 

Additional Programme Information