Prospectus

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Comparative Legal and Economic Integration

Course
2017-2018

Tags

IJ

Admissions requirements

Sovereignty and Statehood and Structure and Functioning of the EU

Description

This course is dedicated to the study of economic integration taking place around the world. Having adopted a comparative approach, this course will focus on regional economic integration initiatives and on comparing and analysing their main features from a predominantly legal standpoint. The course will start off with a general definition of economic integration and by providing a short historical overview, along with criteria used in measuring economic integration and a typology of most frequent economic integration initiatives. This introduction will be followed by a basic introduction to GATT/WTO law before switching the lens onto the regional stage, starting with European Union law and notably the development of the four freedoms (goods, services, persons, and capital). The course will then move onto regional economic integration in the Americas, in the Arab world / Middle East, in Asia and in Africa.

This course aims at comparing each economic integration area / organization by highlighting their commonalities and specificities. In doing so, this course will analyse a common set of topics (e.g., trade in goods & services and related issues such as quotas and tariffs, dispute settlement mechanisms) and then situate each organization / area along a spectrum of economic integration.

Course objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have developed the following abilities:

  • to understand and use legal language prevalent in economic integration treaties and related legal documents

  • to undertake analyses of additional and previously unknown regional economic organizations

  • to draw comparisons between liberalization processes on the basis of their scope and coverage and application to various areas of economic activity

  • to decipher international economic news and on-going trade and investment negotiations by relating to regional economic integration processes

Timetable

Once available, timetables will be published here.

Mode of instruction

The course will adopt a lecture format while actively encouraging student participation. Educational excursions and/or guest lectures from practitioners in relevant fields may also be included.

Students should prepare by reading assigned materials for each class, which will be examined by brief in-class tests at the start of each class. Active knowledge is required of the topics covered in mandatory prerequisite courses.

The topics seen in class need to be well understood as they will form the basis of the final exam which will consist of the application of theoretical knowledge to a practical case study.

Assessment

Weekly assessment, 40%, ongoign weeks 2-7
Policy brief, 20%, Week 5 (TBC)
Final exam, 40%, Week 8

Blackboard

There will be a Blackboard site available for this course. Students will be enrolled at least one week before the start of classes.

Reading list

European Union Law
Edited by Catherine Barnard and Steve Peers
ISBN number: 978-0-19-968611-7
Publication date: 29 May 2014
Publisher: OUP

Additional reading material will be announced in the course Syllabus

Registration

This course is open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Registration is coordinated by the Curriculum Coordinator. Interested non-LUC students should contact course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.

Contact

Dr. Darinka Piqani
d.piqani@law.leidenuniv.nl

Remarks

Readings will need to be completed prior to the first session and will be indicated in the course syllabus which will be circulated prior to the first session.

Active knowledge is required of the topics covered in mandatory prerequisite courses