The rule of law and mutual trust in global and European governance

This course provides for an interdisciplinary and comparative understanding of the rule of law and mutual trust in global and European governance. It brings together the political and legal perspectives, being taught by a political scientist (prof. Ramona Coman) and an academic specialized in European Law (prof. Cecilia Rizcallah).
The course
examines the normative, legal and political dimensions of the rule of law and mutual trust.
seeks to identify the main actors involved in the rule of law and mutual trust promotion and the reasons on their diffusion at the global level
focuses on the politics of the rule of law in the EU and the emergence of a rule of law policy
sheds light on how these principles are implemented inside and outside the EU, drawing on a selected number of cases.
scrutinizes the EU through comparative lenses by considering the rule of law and mutual trust approaches of other international/regional organisations
Lectures:


23/09 - Lecture 1 - The normative foundations of the rule of law (R. Coman and C. Rizcallah)
30/09 - Lecture 2 – International/regional actors, tools and approaches (R. Coman)
7/10 - Lecture 3 – Rule of law in the EU. Tools and Challenges. The role of the European Commission (R. Coman)
14/10 Lecture 4 – Rule of law in the EU. Tools and Challenges. The role of the European Parliament (R. Coman)
21/10 - Lecture 5 – Tools and Challenges. The role of the Council/European Council. The silence of ministers (R. Coman)
28/10 - Lecture 6 – The social dimension of rule of law. The Conference on the future of Europe. Discussion of your ideas for the essays
4/11 - Lecture 7 – The protection of human rights and the rule of law by the Court of Justice (C. Rizcallah)
18/11 – Lecture 8 - The principle of mutual trust in EU law: a new “constitutional principle” of EU law? (C. Rizcallah)
25/11 - Lecture 9 – The principle of mutual trust and EU values (C. Rizcallah)
9/12 - Lecture 10 – The principle of mutual trust vis-à-vis third states and other international organisations (C. Rizcallah)
16/12 - Lecture 11 – The principle of mutual trust and the ECHR (C. Rizcallah)
23/12 - Lecture 12 – Conclusions (R. Coman and C. Rizcallah)

After successfully completing this course participants will:

• understand and be able to reflect on the broader definition of rule of law and mutual trust;
• understand the normative, legal and political dimensions of these principles
• have a comparative understanding on how the EU and other international/regional organizations promote them
• be able to explain how the rule of law and mutual trust are implemented in different parts of the world
• be able to explain why the EU integration process is based on mutual trust and the rule of law.
• and ultimately explain the politics of the rule of law in the EU and the emergence of new tools

Connaissances et compétences pré-requises

A good understanding of the EU, its institutions and decision-making procedures. 

This course is composed of lectures and in-class discussions given by the two coordinator professors (and invited guests, when possible).

Contribution au profil d'enseignement

This course provides for an interdisciplinary and comparative understanding of the rule of law and mutual trust in global and European governance.

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

See full list on the Université virtuelle 

Support(s) de cours

• Syllabus
• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Prof. Ramona Coman Ramona.coman@ulb.ac.be; Cecilia Rizcallah Cecillia.rizcalalh@ulb.be  

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen oral
• Rapport écrit

Oral exam (50%) and essay (50%) (see detail on the Université virtuelle)

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

Oral exam (50%) and essay (50%) (see detail on the Université virtuelle)

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais