Theory of Law, Constitutional Law and Public International Law

The aim of the course is to get acquainted with basic aspects of the European Union, its legal order and institutions. In addition, the main EU policies will be covered in the course.

Lesson 1.- Origin and evolution of the European Communities and the European Union The creation of the European Communities. Evolution of the European Communities. Treaty of the European Union, Treaty of Amsterdam, Treaty of Nice. The Lisbon Treaty. Lesson 2.- European Union primary law and sources of EU law 1. The sources of European Union Law: Primary Law and Secondary Law. 2. Primary law. 3. Secondary Law 3.1 Regulations 3.2 Directives 3.3 Decisions 3.4 Non-binding acts: recommendations and opinions. 3.5 Atypical acts. 4. Other sources: 4.1 The jurisprudence. 4.2 The general principles of Law. 4.3 International Treaties. 5. Acts derived from formulas of intergovernmental cooperation Lesson 3. Regulatory principles of the relations between the legal system of the Union and the Member States¿ legal orders 1. The principle of primacy. 2. The principle of direct effect. 3. The principle of State responsibility for breach of Union Law. 4. Other principles Lesson 4. ¿ Institutional framework of the European Union 1. Principles of the institutional system of the Union. 2. The European Commission. 3. The Council of the European Union. 4. The European Council. 5. The European Parliament. 6. The Court of Justice of the European Union: Court of Justice and General Court. Special courts 7. Other institutions and bodies: European Court of Auditors. The European Economic and Social Committee. The Committee of the Regions. The European Central Bank. Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER). Lesson 5.- Jurisdictional system 1. Action for annulment 2. Action for Failure to Act 3. Exception of illegality. 4. Action for Failure to Fulfill an Obligation 5. References for Preliminary Rulings 6. Other functions of the Court of Justice of the European Union Lesson 6.- The competences of the European Union. 1. Legal bases regulating the attribution regime 2. Typology of the powers of the European Union 3. Procedures for the exercise of powers 4. The Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality Lesson 7.- The application of European Union Law in Spain 1. Principles governing the application of European Union law by national authorities: Institutional and procedural autonomy; duty of collaboration of member states. 2. Spanish Constitution and European Union Law. The reception of Union Law and its application in Spain. 3. The normative enforcement. 4. The administrative enforcement. 5. The judicial enforcement. 6. The participation of self governing communities in the European integration. Lesson 8.-European citizenship. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 1.- European citizenship. 2.- The protection of rights in the Union. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Lesson 9. The external action of the European Union 1.- Characteristics of the international capacity of the Union 2.- The EU's external relations 3.- The Common Foreign and Security Policy 4.- The external dimension of the Common Space on Freedom, Security and Justice.

Theoretical training will be combined with a practical training based on the analysis of relevant case law, and the recommended readings in each face-to-face session. Exceptionally, to the above mentioned working methodology could be added a theoretical proof depending on the estimations of the Professor in charge of the teaching.