“The EU and Its Neighbours: Legal Approximation and Europeanisation of the Legal Orders of Eastern Partnership Countries”
Annual Summer School
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies
Jean Monnet Module “Legal Approximation Laboratory”
“The EU and Its Neighbours: Legal Approximation and Europeanisation of the Legal Orders of
Eastern Partnership Countries”
15-26 August 2022, Yerevan
In August 2022, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies jointly with the Jean Monnet Module “Legal Approximation Laboratory” will hold its second Annual Summer School. This year, the School will address the issues of legal approximation and Europeanisation of the legal orders of EaP countries.
Posts and photos from our previous Summer School can be found on the CIdS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cidsbsu
Topic. The School will further develop the discussion on the processes of transformation and change in the legal orders of the EaP countries initiated in the framework of our first Annual Summer School “Changing Legal Orders between the EU & Russia: Constitutional Processes in the Eastern Partnership” (August 2021, supported by DAAD). The lectures will focus on the processes of legal approximation of the legal orders of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine with the EU acquis, legal standards and “ways of doing things”. These processes impact not only the content of domestic legislation, but also legal practice, law-making and judicial methodology, scholarship, legal culture and mentality, thus resulting in the Europeanisation of the legal environment as a whole. At the same time, legal approximation and the deepening of relations with the EU are affected by the significant geopolitical and internal political challenges in the region.
The following issues will be addressed:
Ø Legal approximation from an interdisciplinary perspective: geopolitical, political and cultural contexts. The issue of values (European and domestic) in the context of legal approximation and Europeanisation
Ø Constitutional identity and the degree of openness of EaP legal orders towards external influences
Ø Basic concepts and theoretical frameworks of legal approximation; legal vs. legislative approximation; approximation vs. harmonisation; approximation and Europeanisation
Ø Methods and tool of exporting and importing the EU acquis into the legal systems of EaP countries
Ø Institutional and legislative frameworks of legal approximation; the roles of parliaments and governments
Ø The role of the judiciary in legal approximation; Europeanisation of judicial argumentation
Aims: The School aims to provide a discussion forum to students, young researchers and early-career practitioners in the fields of law- and policy-making. It offers a unique opportunity to discuss the topical issues of Europeanisation in the interdisciplinary context with international scholars coming from the EU and EaP countries, as well as with local officials.
Format: The lectures of the School will be taught by the core faculty (CIdS BSU) and established guest speakers (scholars and practitioners). The School is planned to be delivered in the face-to-face format. Depending on the travel restrictions, international lecturers may opt for delivering lectures online.
The program will combine lectures with practical activities, talks by invited guest speakers and visits to the EU Delegation to Armenia, the National Assembly (the Parliament) and the Constitutional Court of Armenia. Participants will be expected to conduct a group research project, where they will produce an analysis of the most recent developments related to the Europeanisation processes in Armenia or another Eastern Partnership country.
The program will be further enriched with a variety of social activities that will allow participants to get acquainted with natural, historical and cultural treasures of Armenia.
Participants will receive a Certificate of Participation and 3 ECTS points.
The Summer School is aimed at students (advanced Bachelor, Master or PhD) of the following disciplines:
● Law
● Political Science
● Sociology
● International Relations
● (Eastern) European Studies
Participation Fee: 650 EUR
Participants from Eastern Partnership countries can apply for a tuition fee waiver.
For four successful applicants from German universities, DAAD will provide scholarships covering:
Participants from Eastern Partnership countries can apply for a tuition fee waiver.
For four successful applicants from German universities, DAAD will provide scholarships covering:
● residence expenses
● travel expenses (based on country rates)
● tuition fee
To apply, fill in the application form here. Please attach your CV and motivation letter (in one PDF file).
Selection criteria:
● Relevant degree program
● Prior experience in one or more of the following areas
● Europeanisation
● EU External Relations
● Post-Soviet transformation
● Proven interest in EU external relations, Europeanisation or post-Soviet transition
● Strong academic track record
● Quality of the motivation letter and CV
Application deadline: 1 June 2022
Academic coordinator:
Dr. Anna Khvorostiankina, Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies
Contact:
E-mail: cids.bsu@gmail.com, tel: +374 91 620690.
Provisional Program (15-26 August 2022)
Monday – 15 August
● Welcome, opening of the Summer School and introduction of staff and participants
● Seminar 1: Setting the scene: the relations between the EU and EaP countries (historical overview, current legal frameworks and future perspectives)
● Social event: Welcome dinner
Tuesday – 16 August
● Seminar 2: Legal approximation beyond law: interdisciplinary approaches to the processes of Europeanisation.
Wednesday – 17 August
● Seminar 3: The issue of values: where ‘European’ meets ‘local’. The role of cultures and traditions
● Seminar 4: The issue of constitutional identity and constitutional culture.
● Class 5: Visit to the EU Delegation (subject to confirmation)
Thursday – 18 August
● Seminar 6: The role of geopolitical context: the case of Armenia
● Seminar 7: The role of geopolitical context: the case of Georgia
Friday – 19 August
● Seminar 8: The role of geopolitical context: the cases of Moldova and Ukraine
Monday – 22 August
● Seminar 9: The role of domestic parliaments of EaP countries in the processes of legal approximation. Methodology of law-making for the purposes of legal approximation
● Seminar 10: The role of domestic governments in the processes of legal approximation. Policy-making, budgeting and managing legal approximation processes
● Class 11: Visit to the National Assembly of Armenia, meeting with the MPs and staff of the Standing Committee on European Integration
Tuesday – 23 August
● Seminar 12: The role of the judiciary in legal approximation; Europeanisation of judicial methodology
● Class 13: Visit to the Constitutional Court of Armenia; lecture by Justice Grigoryan on the issues of Europeanisation of judicial argumentation and implementation of European legal standards in the domestic legal order (subject to confirmation)
Wednesday – 24 August
● Seminar 14: Methodological, institutional & legislative frameworks of legal approximation - Case-study: Georgia
● Seminar 15: Case Study: Moldova
● Seminar 16: Case Study: Ukraine
Thursday – 25 August
● Preparing group presentations on a chosen topic connected to the core themes of the school
Friday – 26 August
● Presentations of the small-group projects
● Concluding Discussion
● Closing of the Summer School, certificates awarding ceremony
● Evening activity: social event
