External Action and Diplomatic Service of the European Union

With a view to investigating how the European Union addresses challenges that arise at a global level, the course aims to build on students' prior learning of EU and international law by examining in greater depth the legislative framework that governs how the European Union acts in its international relations. Students will learn the particularities of this framework as compared to other areas of EU law, including as regards the functions of its institutions and the relationships between the European Union and its Member States.
The course also aims to give students a grounding in the operational mechanisms available tothe European Union in its external relations, including the European External Action Service, which is the EU's primary instrument for diplomatic action.
Consequently, the course aims to give students the knowledge necessary to understand how the policies and objectives established in founding agreements are implemented through the external action of the European Union and to assess the limits and potential of that action.

Upon completing the course, students will be able to deploy the appropriate terminology in describing the institutions of the European Union which engage in external action and will understand the specific implications of its international relations.
By participating in classroom activities - which include analysing sources of legislation and case-law, and examining and discussing case studies, either individually or in groups - students will also learn how to apply the legal categories and concepts they have learned to the European Union's relationships with the rest of the world. Consequently, they will be able to evaluate events connected with the European Union's external action and relate them to the instruments at its disposal. At the same time, students will also improve their communication skills and convey information and considerations on the European Union's external action in their future professional career.