Droit pénal international et européen / International and european criminal law

This course focuses on the rules of international and European law of a repressive nature. The subject matter taught does not include the rules of domestic law relating to criminal situations that contain a foreign element. The course is structured as follows:

General Introduction

Purpose of the course - Definition and characteristics of international criminal law - Historical evolution - Reasons for the development of international criminal law - Difficulties and criticisms

Part I - International Jurisdictions

International Criminal Court (Implementation and basic texts - Applicable law, jurisdiction of the court and admissibility of a case - Main stages of the procedure - Modes of criminal responsibility - Grounds for exemption)

Part II - International Offences

Offences provided for in the statutes of international jurisdictions, including the ICC (war crimes - crimes against humanity - crime of aggression - crime of genocide)

Offences provided for in other international conventions and European instruments (terrorism - trafficking in human beings)

Part III - International Cooperation

Police and judicial cooperation.

The objective of the course is not to make a systematic and exhaustive survey of the rules of international criminal law and European criminal law, but to familiarize students with the most significant elements of these legal systems. Far from adopting a theoretical approach to the subject, the course aims to give students an overview of the practical implementation of the rules taught, while helping them to develop a critical approach to the subject.

 

Ex cathedra teaching (potentially with external guests).
Subject to possible adaptations linked to the health situation, the lectures will be given in person. Although recommended, attendance of these lectures is not mandatory. 

The course is given only in English. Students can interact either in English or in French. In order to be able to follow the course effectively, students must have an active knowledge of one of the two working languages of the course and a passive knowledge of the other.

Contribution to the teaching profile

Ensure autonomy in legal reasoning by providing the student with adequate conceptual and methodological tools.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

David, E, V. Koutroulis et A. Weyembergh, Code de droit international pénal, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2018, env. 1100 p.

Recommended reading lists are available at the Virtual University page of the course.

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Secrétariat facultaire : 02.650.39.36, 39.37, 39.40, 39.41
Amy Weatherburn: amy.weatherburn@ulb.be; Marie-Laurence Hébert-Dolbec: marie-laurence.hebert-dolbec@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination

written examination

Subject to health regulations applicable at the time, the evaluation will take the form of a written exam that will take place in the classroom at the end of the semester. 

This examination includes both practical cases and questions of theoretical restitution.

The exam is a closed book exam, course notes and slides, articles of doctrine, a computer or telephone may not be used. However, students may bring the official texts of the course in the "original" version, i.e. not annotated or accompanied by comments. Highlighting and underlining as well as the addition of dividers identifying the documents concerned are not considered as annotations.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

The exam score will represent 100 % of the final grade of the course.

Language(s) of evaluation

• english
• (if applicable french )