EU Soft Law 4003-EUSL-ERASMUS
Participants will explore the complexity of soft law instruments in the wider context of the EU legal order and in relation with third countries. Students will investigate international and European law doctrine on soft law. They will study the reasons beyond its employment and the characteristic that define an act as “soft”.
Participants will analyse the emergence of a new category of soft law, namely the EU External Relations soft law for which they will learn a certain taxonomy that identifies it. They will study this new category in three cases that constitutes three policies fields in the EU External relations: readmission arrangements in the migration field, RePowerEU in the energy field and the Strategic Compass in the defense field.
Students will learn about Poland's contribution to the formation of those instruments, especially the role of Poland in defining the context and the text of the Strategic Compass. Moreover, participants will become familiar with some aspects of Poland and EU diplomacy an negotiation.
The soft law in the international and European Law doctrine and practise – an introduction.
EU Soft law in the EU Treaties and internal practices – general issues.
Employment of soft law in the EU external relations: rationale, features and legal problems.
EU soft readmission agreements. EU External migration policies.
The RepowerEU and soft bilateral agreements with third countries.
The Startegic Compass and the EU-NATO Joint Declarations.
EU external soft law and the EU Treaties principles.
Student's workload:
lecture - 30 h
reading in foreign language - 60 h preparation for the lecture - 30 h preparation for the exam - 60 h altogether -180 h
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
After the course student should be able to:
understand the international and European law interpretation of soft law
identify and describe the main reasons for the employment of soft laws by the European Union
identify and understand the main documents concerning soft law in EU external relations
know and analyze main aspects of UE external energy, defense and migration policy
understand the role of soft law in the three fields identified and their implication for the EU legal order and third countries.
Assessment criteria
Teaching methods:
-combination of theoretical issues and case studies;
Problem based learning methodology: materials would be provided before each class with some questions that the students will address together during the class with the help of the tutor
Students’ own studies, engagement and involvement by working together will be encouraged and part of the final evaluation.referring to their individual experience and knowledge gained from independent reading,
use of the Kampus platform and the uploaded materials including scientific papers, links to Internet sources and various audio-video materials, films, etc.
use of a PPT original presentation for each module
involvement of the student in independent work through the completion of one presentation on one specific topic selected by the tutor at the end of the class (each presentation is evaluated separately)
Assessment criteria:
The assessment consists of three parts: class attendance, presentation of one topic discussed in class and in-class activity. Each presentation is given a number of points. The sum of these points is the basis for the final grade. Attendance in class is required (two unexcused absences are allowed).
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: