Introduction to EU Law and Institutions

The course begins with a brief introduction to the history of the European Community and the European Union. The main institutions, their functions, and their powers vis-à-vis each other will be explained.

The objective of the course is to provide international students at the Faculty of Law, the University of Copenhagen, with a basic introduction to EU law and institutions, and thus enable them to participate in and draw full benefit of the credited courses in EU law.
The participants will learn to distinguish the different forms of EU legislation, and the course will deal with the implementation of EU law into national law, and the principles of direct effect and primacy. The general principles of the EU, partly developed in the practice of the Court of Justice, will be discussed.
The three main types of proceedings at the Court of Justice will be examined and the participants will learn to match the right type of proceeding to a given legal situation.
Finally the course will deal with the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. The purpose and substance of these freedoms will be presented to the participants and the Court of Justice’s interpretation of free movement will be introduced.