1. General and specific objectives of the course

In the first semester the students learn about the legal and philosophical roots of European legal thinking. According to these, the two major legal systems — the continental and the common law — are presented.

In the second semester the special legal system of the European Union is presented, giving studente a knowledge that they will be able to immediately use upon Hungary’as accession the Union.

2. Contents of the course

Semester I: Emergence and development of the European legal culture until the present day

The effects of the Greek and Roman philosophies on the development of law

The emergence, basic terms and characteristics of the Roman Law

Medieval legal training and its significance

Law in the middle ages, the role of canon law

The forms of survival of the Roman Law and its effects on the legal system

The main features of the continental legal system

The emergence and characteristics of common law

The division of the areas of law, and the important basic terms (law, source of law, hierarchy of the sources of law)

In this part students learn about basic notions and definitions that are indispensable for the comprehension of the community law. It is especially important, as these students are not students of law, so they need this kind of preliminary information.

Semester II: Community Law of the European Union

General characteristics of the community law

Interrelations and differences between international law and community law

A detailed description of the primary and secondary sources of community law

Special features of the community law:

a detailed description of the regulations related to goods

free movement of persons:

•  

  regulations related to employees

•  

  the rules of settling down

A detailed description of the regulations related to services

The effects of the work of the European Court on the development of the community law

In this chapter students are introduced into the present law of the Union. It is important, as this law comes into effect in the country in the moment of Hungary’s accession. My purpose is relaying kowledge to students they are able to use in practice, or at least, they are able to understant the basic features of the community law.

3. In-semester evaluation

4. Required external field practice: -

5. Required and recommended literature

Az európai integráció alapszerződései. KjK. Budapest, 2000.

Kecskés László: EK-jog és jogharmonizáció. KjK. Budapest, 1999.

Európai közjog és politika (szerk.: Kende Tamás). Osiris–Századvég, Budapest, 1998.