EU Law: Courts, Litigation and Social Change

Course content

The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge of litigation through European Union (EU) law, the specificities of the court system and the different roles of lawyers.
Learning about litigation in the EU will enable students to critically analyse how courts and litigation produce social change. Students will be exposed to the role of lawyers and litigation in changing how society works, either by reforming how institutions function or changing the law itself. Combining close reading of theoretical texts with practical engagement with legal materials and techniques, this seminar will explore the procedures, methods, strategies and possibilities of litigation in Europe.


The course is divided into three parts.


The first part (I) analyses the specificities of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU): its appointment of judges, composition and style of judicial writing, as well as its relationship to national courts of last instance and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The students will be familiarised with the different roles that lawyers take up within the CJEU and other EU institutions. This first part also theoretically explains the connection between litigation and social change and introduces the students to ‘strategic litigation’, i.e. using litigation to achieve a specific form of change in the law, and specifically what characterises such litigation in national courts of last instance and the CJEU.
 

Part two (II) is methodological and will introduce techniques of closely reading case law that will train the students in the deconstruction of CJEU case law. This part will also consist of exercises in legal writing for different audiences and allow the students to practically engage with different aspects of EU litigation, such as writing preliminary reference questions, case law summaries and party submissions, as well as to study strategic litigation techniques.   

 

The third (III) and final part of the seminar will study different areas of EU law where litigation is dynamic and fast-moving, e.g. environmental law; discrimination law; competition law; and citizenship law. Through case studies the students will explore landmark judgments and critically analyse how litigation has changed or might change the area of law in focus. During these case study sessions the student will deliver short presentations and receive feedback from the teacher and fellow students. The form of final examination is an individual, written assignment and students are encouraged to present on their chosen topic in order to have a chance to discuss and receive feedback before submission.                                                            

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

  • Knowledge about the process and methods of litigation in the EU.
  • Knowledge about the CJEU in comparative perspective and the different roles of lawyers in the EU.
  • Knowledge about how and when litigation can produce changes to laws, institutions and society in Europe.

 

Skills:

  • The ability to theoretically explain the connection between litigation and social change.
  • The ability to identify the different functions and roles of lawyers in the EU.
  • The ability to evaluate different forms of legal texts and argumentation and explain how they relate to different legal outcomes.

 

Competence:

  • Analyse and predict how litigation can be used to change laws, institutions and society in concrete cases.
  • Perform targeted, close readings (deconstruction and reconstruction) of CJEU case law.
  • Draft legal texts for different audiences in the EU.

Lectures
Individual work
Discussion of reading materials in plenum
Legal drafting exercises
Case law close reading exercises
Student presentations
Training in receiving peer-feedback

The readings of the first part (I) of the course will focus on theory and hence consist mostly of research articles as well as treaty text, i.e. relevant treaty articles from the TEU or TFEU. 

The methodological second part (II) of the course will focus on close readings of case law and exercises and have shorter readings that are mainly examples of legal texts. 

The last case study part (III) of the course will combine all different types of readings (research articles, treaty text, legislation and case law). 

The course will not have a text book but the readings will be prepared as a single pdf for each seminar.

 

It is illegal to share digital textbooks with each other without permission from the copyright holder.

The course builds on the BA level courses Institutionel forfatningsret og EU-forfatningsret and EU-ret/EU law.

English language skills. Please note that students are encouraged to use both Danish and English language versions of EU law if helpful.

Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)

Continuous feedback during the course of the semester

Feedback by final exam (in addition to the grade)

Peer feedback (students give each other feedback)

ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Home assignment
Type of assessment details
Individual written assignment
Aid
All aids allowed

Read about the descriptions of the individual exam forms, including formal requirements, scope and deadlines in the exam catalogue

Read about practical exam conditions at KUnet

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

Hand in date: 10-12-2025

Re-exam

Hand in date: 21-01-2026

Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Preparation
  • 170,25
  • Seminar
  • 36
  • English
  • 206,25

Kursusinformation

Language
English
Course number
JJUB55194U
ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Programme level
Bachelor
Bachelor choice
Duration

1 semester

Placement
Autumn
Price
  1. Students enrolled at Faculty of Law: No tuition fee
  2. Professionals: Please visit our website  
Schedulegroup
Please see timetable for teaching time
Studyboard
Law
Contracting department
  • Law
Contracting faculty
  • Faculty of Law
Course Coordinator
  • Hanna Eklund   (12-716a77776a376e74757e776d49737e7b37747e376d74)
Saved on the 29-04-2025

Are you BA- or KA-student?

Are you bachelor- or kandidat-student, then find the course in the course catalog for students:

Courseinformation of students