Module LAW40830: THE EUROPEAN UNION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Department: Law

LAW40830: THE EUROPEAN UNION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The module aims to explore the role of the EU as an actor on the international trading plane. The module sets out the structures of the EU constitutional order which enable it to act internationally and establish relations with third countries and international organisations. The analysis starts with the examination of the theoretical foundations of external EU policies and focuses on the EU competences and the scope and content of the Common Commercial Policy. In this context, students are expected to obtain knowledge of the EU's external relations legislation and its operation in practice. In this respect, the module aims to identify the frameworks for cooperation with third countries and international organisations with an emphasis on the participation of the EU in the WTO. Further, the module aims to analyse the basic autonomous instruments of trade policy, like customs legislation, rules on imports and exports and measures taken against unfair trade like dumping and subsidies.

Content

• The content of the module will typically be:
• A) Foundations
• Introduction to the Union Legal Order
• Legal personality and the Community competence to act on the international plane
• The classification of Community competences
• The Common Commercial Policy
• The negotiation and conclusion of international agreements. Mixed international agreements
• The effect on international agreements in the Community legal order. The special case of the WTO Agreement
• B) Frameworks
• Bilateral Agreements as a preliminary to membership
• Other Bilateral Agreements
• Multilateral Agreements and Membership of International Organisations
• Case study: The EU and the WTO
• C) Policies Commercial Policy in practice

Learning Outcomes

• Students will obtain knowledge of the theoretical foundations of the EU's external relations policies; they will possess an advanced understanding of the EU external competences and the scope and content of the Common Commercial Policy; they will be able to identify the frameworks for international cooperation with third countries and international organisations available to the EU with an emphasis on EU participation in the WTO; they will obtain detailed knowledge of the EU's autonomous trade legislation in the field of customs, rules on imports and exports and rules against unfair trade like dumping and subsidies.

• Students will develop subject-specific intellectual skills. They will be able to accurately and effectively describe the constitutional underpinnings of the European Union as an actor in the world trading system; they will be able to identify the legal basis for EU external action in any given case; they will be able to advise on the procedures available to the EU to defend its interests on the international trading plane and in particular in the WTO; they will be able to identify the rules and procedures applicable in areas involving EU trade policies.

• Students will be able to retrieve and utilise sources in the field of EU external trade relations; they will be able to identify resources on their own initiative; develop oral communication skills; they will be self-reliant, able to take responsibility of their own learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning will take place by virtue of a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials. The lectures will introduce the basic concepts and provide basic information. Students will be provided with the basic subject-specific knowledge, guidance towards further reading and sources of information, available both in print and electronically, and encouragement to pursue independent learning. Seminars and tutorials, which will require student preparation in advance, are aimed to enable students to assess the progress of their own learning. In particular, they will be invited to describe the theoretical foundations of the EU external trade relations, to identify the legal basis for EU external action in any given case, to identify the rules and procedures applicable in areas involving EU trade policies.
• Summative assessment consists of a 3-hour exam. The exam will typically consist of a selection of essay and problem questions and students will be required to answer at least one question from each category. Essay questions aim to assess the students' subject-specific knowledge and their ability to describe, identify and analyse the relevant concepts and rules. Problem questions aim to assess the students' ability to identify the rules applicable in a given case and apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University