A general introduction to the legal system of the European Union and the areas of substantive law most relevant to the creation of the single European market. For the first two-thirds of the course, we will study the EU's political institutions and its lawmaking processes, the system of legal remedies and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and the fundamental principles of constitutional law including the relationship between EU law and the domestic laws of the 25 Member States. In the last third of the semester, the course will focus on the substantive law governing the free movement of goods within the Union, including antitrust law. These rules form the heart of the internal market and the goal of a Europe without frontiers. Other topics to be discussed include sex discrimination law, free movement of persons, the operation of the Euro, and the recent steps towards creating a European Union constitution.
There are no prerequisites, although previous exposure to constitutional law, comparative law, public international law or international trade will be helpful. Exam.