European law

In the field of European law, the Institute addresses the institutional development of the European Union, the legal foundations of its Internal Market, the distribution of competences among the European Union and its Member States, as well as the protection of fundamental rights and the role of the European Court of Justice. It furthermore examines current EU legal issues, such as the rule of law crisis in individual EU Member States as well as the law of new technologies.

The Institute´s Research Focus “EU Law” is dedicated to research and teaching of the legal foundations and application of European law and its influence on the national legal systems of the EU Member States. In this context, particular attention is paid to the interactions between primary and secondary law of the EU, the case law of the European courts – especially the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). A central focus is the examination of fundamental and human rights in the European legal area. This includes in particular the legal tensions between national constitutions, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFR), and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The Institute analyses central questions regarding the scope and enforcement of these rights, including for example the rights to freedom of expression, data protection, protection against discrimination, or procedural guarantees.

In addition, the Institute´s research addresses the legal challenges of new technologies. In particular, digitalization and related rapid technological progress raise complex legal questions that require European responses. The focus here is, inter alia, on data protection and the regulation of personal data in the context of the GDPR, the European legal framework for the use of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as the challenges of the digital economy, for example in the area of platform regulation and automated decision-making processes.

Through research projects, publications, and events, the institute promotes dialogue between academia, the judiciary, administration, and practice and contributes to the further development of a modern and rule-of-law-based Europe. It thus contributes to a sound analysis of fundamental European legal issues and the development of innovative elements for legal solutions in Europe which help to actively shape and secure a modern, effective and globally competitive Europe, rooted in the Rule of Law.The individual research topics include in particular:

• Institutional and material EU law
• Fundamental and human rights in the European region
• Interactions between the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the ECHR, and national constitutions of EU Member States
• EEA law and its connections to EU law
• Duties of protection in national, European, and international law
• European environmental law
• European competition law
• Legal challenges of new technologies in Europe
• Legal frameworks for life sciences law and the law of related new technologies