Seminar: Citizens' Rights in the EU (10-01-682)

15. Oktober 2025, von Internetredaktion

Description

The famous 1976 Tindemans report contained a section titled "A citizen's Europe", marking a significant shift in the policies and legal evolution of the European Communities. Since then, the individual has been placed at the centre of the EU's decision-making and its legal system as the Union began to represent something more than just a common market. This was accompanied by the gradual empowerment of the European Parliament and the rising role of rights in Union law. In the current constitutional framework of the EU, the Charter of Fundamental Rights contains a separate title dedicated to citizens' rights, corroborating the claim that ordinary Europeans are the primary beneficiaries of the European project. This course presents a guide to citizens' rights in EU law.

The course participants will be given a historical overview of the evolution of citizens' rights in the legal system of the Union. Then, the seminar will examine the relevant instruments and rules pertaining to citizens' rights in the current legal framework of the EU. The main part of the course will deal with the specific rights that Union citizens enjoy: the right to vote and stand as a candidate in the European Parliament elections and, for mobile citizens, also in the municipal elections in the host Member State, the right to protection by diplomatic and consular authorities, the right to petition the Parliament, to have a recourse to the European Ombudsman, the right to address EU institutions, the right of access to information, and the right to free movement. The seminar will also provide some room for the discussion of the latest developments in the field of citizens' rights.

Structure & Language

The seminar is taught exclusively in English and consists of three sessions, all taking place during the winter semester of 2025/26: (1) Tuesday, 4 November 2025, 14:15-18:45, (2) Tuesday, 2 December 2025, 14:15-18:45, (3) Tuesday, 13 January 2026, 14:15-18:45.

Modes of Participation

Within this seminar, students can obtain a Seminarschein. For this, you have to participate in the seminar sessions, give one oral presentation in class, and write a seminar paper of standard length. The seminar does not offer an opportunity to get a Fremdsprachenschein. Erasmus and other exchange students are welcome to participate; they are not required to write a seminar paper but must take a final written exam instead.

Registration & Instructor

To register for this seminar, send a short email directly to the course instructor (see below) indicating your name, surname, matriculation number (seven digits) and the seminar number (10-01-682).

Instructor: Dr. iur. Serhii Lashyn, LL.M. – Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Law, Universität Hamburg. For registration and questions: serhii.lashyn"AT"uni-hamburg.de 

Poster (PDF)