European Union Law

Prof. Andrea Santini

COURSE AIMS

The course will provide students with knowledge, from a legal standpoint, of the institutional aspects of the European Union, dwelling also onthe specific topic of the organisation’s external relations.

COURSE CONTENT

The generalpart of the course will be dedicated to the institutions of the European Union. After having explained the origins and evolution of the process of integration, the current structure of the European Union will be analysed with a particular focus on the following aspects:general principles; composition and powers of the political institutions; structural features and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice;sources of the European Union’slegal order and the latter’s relationship with the Italian legal system.

The special part of the course will focus on the EU’s external actions, both the strictly supranational dimension (with special reference to common trade policy and development cooperation policy and the dimension that is still markedly intergovernmental (CFSP/CSDP).

READING LIST

U. Draetta, Elementi di diritto dell’Unione Europea - Parte istituzionale, Giuffrè Editore, Milan, 2009, 5thed.

E. Baroncini-S. Cafaro-C. Novi, Le relazioni esterne dell’Unione europea, Giappichelli Editore, Torino, 2012.

For Faculty of Economic students not attending lectures, the second textbook mentioned above is to be supplemented with the following one:

U. Draetta-N. Parisi (eds.), Elementi di diritto dell’Unione Europea - Parte speciale,Giuffrè Editore, Milan, 2010, 3rd ed.

TEACHING METHOD

Lectures. There may be some tutorials and conferences too. For students attending lectures and subject tothe willingness of the host institution, a study trip to the European Court of Justice and/or other international organisation in Europe may be arranged.

ASSESSMENT METHOD

Students attending lectures may, if they so wish, sit the examination in two parts, a written exam at the end of the first part of the course and an oral one at the end of the entire course covering the topics studied in the second part thereof. For students not attending lectures there will be a single oral exam.

NOTES

Students who wish to do their degree thesis in this subject must know either English or French if they are undergraduates and both languages if they are postgraduates. The lecturer is willing to supervise theses written in either of the above languages as well as in Italian.

Further information can be found on the lecturer's webpage at or on the Faculty notice board.