International Social Law

The objective of the course is to present human resources  legal tools which are applied by businesses in the context of cross-border workforce mobility. The European labour market will be of particular interest. The course will focus on the conditions under which individuals can move between Member States of the European Union with the purpose of performing a professional activity (as an employee, a self-employed person or as an interim worker), the cross-border workers' working conditions (remuneration, working time, health & safety...) and the labour costs. The course will also introduce the status of third country individuals wishing to enter and move within the European job market. The course will finally focus on international labour contracts and on cross-border posting.The following teaching tools will be used:
1.    case studies
2.     simulations
3.      practical exercises
4.      multiple-choice questionnaire
5.      group assignments

The "International Social Law" (subtitled "European job market : Legal instruments and HR international management") course is designed for students who hold a bachelor degree preferably in economics or management and who have a very good command of English. It is not necessary to have studied law. 

Part 1 The right to work and to move freely within the European Union
1.1 European labour market: core (legal) principles
1.2 Who benefits from the EU labour market rules?
1.3 Geographical scope of the European labour market
1.4 The European labour market and the principle of non-discrimination
1.5 Third country nationals in the European labour market
1.6 Employment contract: which law is applicable?
1.7 Social security rights for cross-border workers 
Part 2: Cross-border posting of workers: a labour force strategy 

At the end of the course, which is accessible to any students with a master’s study level irrespective of their background (management, economics, law…) students are able to understand the conditions under which workers (or jobseekers) can stay in another EU country, can work there and under which protective rules they can carry out their activity abroad and be accompanied by their family members. Students can also identify which basic principles employers must respect in order to comply with rules on free movement of workers. In general this course gives students a better understanding of the mechanisms of the EU internal market.

1.    E. Spaventa, The Free Movement of Workers in the Twenty-first Century, Oxford handbook of EU Law, 2015
2.    Jens Arnholtz, Nathan Lillie, Posted Work in the European Union - The Political Economy of Free Movement, Routledge ed., 2020
3.    European Commission, Practical guide on posting, 2019