Legal effects of economic integration at international and European Union levels
Increased economic integration has become part of modern-day life both within the European Union and Internationally. Economic integration often translates into policy and law. It affects our lives in multiple ways and has severe consequences for the rule of law, democracy and human rights. This LL.M. programme allows you to analyse these effects. After completion, you can provide profound legal advice in the field of international and European law and economic integration to both public and private entities.
This one year intensive LL.M. programme offers the following specialisation possibilities:
1. European Union Law
This track is ideal for students who wish to prepare themselves for a career on EU economic law in the public or private sector.
This specialisation offers students the possibility of creating a tailor-made programme choosing from a selection of electives. These electives include, among others: EU Competition Law, The Law of the Euro and Financial Market Integration and Legal protection in the European Union
2. International Law
The focus of this specialisation lies on the fact that public power is now being exercised globally by international and transnational institutions. Students will be able to take courses in different areas of public international law, including human rights in international law, international criminal law and procedure, international economic law, and international law and global governance.
This specialisation is particularly attractive for students who are interested in working in international organizations but also in public institutions at the domestic level, such as Ministries. This specialisation is equally exciting for students who may work in the private sector (e.g. human rights lawyers; lawyers for international law firms dealing with WTO law, etc.) or in public advocacy.
The content of this programme builds on prior courses (Introduction to International and European Union Law, European Union Law and Public International Law - taught in our LL.B. programme). Students who do not possess knowledge in these fields will be assigned specific literature to be read before the start of the programme.
This study programme is divided over five blocks of between six and eight weeks each. All blocks involve one or two courses. The first block provides you with a general advanced introduction to public international and European Union law at master level studies, as well as with training for the acquisition and development of legal research, writing and presentation skills; the distinctive feature of this course is the study of law through the interconnectedness (1) between international, EU and national legal orders and (2) between substantive legal knowledge and legal skills. At the beginning of the second block, you choose one of the two specialisations (European Union Law or International Law). During the third block you will deepen your knowledge by studying specific topics or policy areas (e.g. privacy and data protection, environment and climate change, or trade and investment) from a combined international law and European Union law perspective. In the fourth block you will shape your own study by choosing at least two elective courses (one restricted elective depending on your chosen specialisation in the second block and one free elective). The fifth block is the ‘stepping stone’ towards your professional life, as you will be confronted with solving real legal questions assigned by various types of organisations from practice.
In parallel, from December until July you will follow the IEUL master thesis trajectory during which you will write a master thesis on a topic of international law and/or EU law .
Acquiring practical legal skills is an important and useful aspect of this programme. You are trained to structure, write and present legal advice for example by producing a policy paper or pleading in a moot court session. Also, you will receive cross-cultural communications training which enables you to negotiate in an international environment successfully. . Last but not least, during the IEUL Law Clinic taking place during Block 5 of the IEUL master, you will enhance your legal practitioner’s skills by working in small groups on real-life assignments commissioned by external parties, such as law firms, NGOs or (inter)governmental bodies.
The staff and students organise visits to European and international courts and organisations annually. During these visits, you can see how things work in practice. The LL.M. programme in International and European Union Law offers small scale education in which international students and the international staff actively engage with each other.
Students of this LL.M. programme have the opportunity to apply for international moot competitions. Joining this competition means that the student gets 5 EC, personal coaching, learns to work in a team and gets the opportunity to represent the Erasmus University abroad. Some of the most popular moot court competitions relevant for students from this LLM program include: EU Law Moot Court competition, Philip C. Jessup international law moot court and Frits Kalshoven international humanitarian law competition.
In this course you will set your first steps on an exploration of the socio-legal dimensions concerning the integration of markets in the European Union and at the global level. This course will give you a foretaste of topics, which will be revisited and dealt with in greater depth during subsequent courses in the master programme.
Law and Policy of European Integration
The course imparts in-depth knowledge on European Union law including the law of the fundamental freedoms, EU institutional and procedural law, EU competition law (including EU State aid law), the law of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the law of external trade relations.
OR
International Law and Global Governance
This course focuses on the changing institutions underpinning the international legal order and the emerging systems of global governance (that is governing without the traditional forms of ‘government’).
During this course students will explore the multidimensional nature of the legal orders (a new development) that lawyers are confronted with in a globalized world. The focus will be on how various above-national legal orders, such as the international and European Union legal orders but also international private legal orders (think e.g. of the Forest Stewardship Council wood certification scheme), inter-relate and how they relate to the values enshrined in national legal orders.
Students choosing to specialize in European Union Law must choose one of the European Union Law electives.
Electives - European Union Law:
- EU Competition Law
- The Law of the Euro and Financial Market Integration
- Legal protection in the European Union
Students choosing to specialize in International Law must choose one of the International law electives.
Electives - International Law:
Students can choose any of the listed elective courses from the International and European Union Law programme for their second elective. Alternatively, students may select another elective offered at Erasmus University in the place of the second elective from the programme.
Recommended free choice electives
The Law Clinic International and European Union Law offers students of the IEUL master programme an opportunity to apply, in groups of approximately 4 to 6 students, the knowledge and experience attained in the course of their studies to ‘real’ legal questions of various types of organisations (law firms, NGOs, public institutions), in the fields of public international law and/or European Union law. During the Law Clinic, the students will, inter alia, prepare a written legal memorandum and present (orally) a summary of their written legal advice to an audience.
The Law Clinic can be regarded as a ‘bridge’ between, on the one hand, legal theory and the legal skills that students have been training in the course of their studies and, on the other hand, legal practice. The students participating in the Law Clinic will be coached and mentored by staff members of the ‘Law & Markets’ Department.
During this master programme students are required to write a master thesis related to a European Union law topic or an international law topic.
Study trip abroad
One of the highly anticipated events of this LLM program is the yearly study trip abroad, which is organized by students themselves, with assistance from the department and the Law Faculty. It usually takes place during the Spring break season (April). In previous years, study trips have been organized to one or multiple of the following institutions: the European Union institutions, NATO, and World Bank’s EU office in Brussels, the World Trade Organization, United Nations organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, and other top law firms.
During the trip, students get the unique chance to have a closer look at and discussing with representatives of those organizations. Every year, students find this experience highly rewarding, whether they are interested in the work the organizations do or simply want to have a behind-the-scenes glimpse of these grand EU and global institutions.
Yes, it is. The master’s programme International and European Union Law is a fulltime programme. It is possible to enroll parttime and complete the programme in two years. If you intend to combine with a fulltime job or other study, please note this is an intensive programme at Masters level. The classes are planned on several weekdays and the first block requires mandatory attendance. For advice on the study programme, please contact the Master’s coordinator.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a non-profit international student organization. Their mission is to represent international students, thus provide opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under the principle of Students Helping Students.
Their main focus is placed on current exchange students. They offer help in the academic, social and practical integration process. This is mainly done through activities in the local sections, which include cultural and social events such as trips to various places within the country, film nights, language projects, international food festivals and last, but not least, parties. In addition to that, many sections have introduced mentor systems, which help the international students mainly in academic and practical integration.
The Trade & Transport Law Association (TTLA) aims to involve internationally oriented students interested in the field of trade and transport. By visiting a broad spectrum of firms and companies engaged in this field they introduce students and practitioners to each other. Additionally, they offer a broad variety of social events in order to get acquainted with others that share your passion for this field of law!