Learning objectives

The course is included in the learning area on Internationalization of the markets. Starting from the relationship between law, economics, and digital technologies, to move to the perspective of the European Union's regulatory framework on the data economy and digital platforms aimed at protecting the main economic and non-economic public interests that come to the fore, the course seeks to provide legal tools for understanding and analyzing digital markets. The course will also address the issue of the liability of the digital economy operators, as well as the economic integration and the efficient functioning of the markets of which they are part.
At the end of the course, the student will acquire the ability to formulate, autonomously and critically, complex opinions and argumentations on the main topics covered by the course.
Students will also acquire the ability to face and solve practical problems typical of the professional context in which they will operate, thus orienting their competence to the goal of contractual compliance and to the prevention of the judicial conflicts. Students will also be able to verify the practical and applicative consequences of the theoretical and regulatory framework and to set, in written and oral form (and also through group work, written exercises and the method of Problem Based Solving - PBS), the solution to concrete issues, using the appropriate and specific disciplinary vocabulary, adopting the correct lines of reasoning and argumentation, and formulating autonomous judgments. The teaching method used is functional to the continuous learning and updating of acquired knowledge.

Prerequisites and basic notions

There is no specific prior knowledge required.

Program

The course will cover some of the main EU laws and regulations in the field of Digital Economy. In addition to the internal market rules provided for in the Treaty on the functioning of the EU (freedom of movement and competition), the regulatory acts that will be analyzed include: the directive on electronic commerce 2000/31, regulation 2019/1150 governing between companies and platforms, the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. The lessons are dedicated to the following topics: What is the Digital Economy? What definition does the EU legal system give it? • The main market sectors concerned • What strategies and modalities is the EU adopting or should adopt to regulate the digital economy? • The relevance of EU law on online market access • Consumer protection in the digital economy • The role and legal protection of data in the digital economy • Protection of EU competition in the digital economy and protection of smaller businesses

Bibliography

Didactic methods

This is a 36-hour course (6 CFU) and will be held in English with the support of previously indicated slides and study materials (eg legislation and jurisprudence of the European Union). The course will be partly in the presence (maximum 5 credits, 30 hours) and partly online (with the invitation of speakers from foreign universities) (at least 1 credits, 6 hours). Students will be invited not only to participate in the discussion on the various topics introduced and explained by the teacher, also on the basis of the previous reading of the aforementioned study materials, but - following flipped learning and group-based learning methodologies - also to conduct independent research on selected themes (including consumer protection in digital markets).

Learning assessment procedures

The exam has the aim of verifying the level of achievement of the training objectives indicated above. For attending students, the final mark will be partly (60%) determined by the student's activity participation in the lessons including a presentation in the classroom of an in-depth work done at home. And partly (40%) by a written test (60 minutes) at the end of the course, which will focus on topics covered in class and on the readings indicated during the course. The language of the exam can be in Italian or English at the student's choice). For non-attending students, the exam consists of a written test (60 minutes) in English or in Italian (the student's choice).

Evaluation criteria

For attending students, the final grade will be awarded on the basis of the following three criteria. 1) in the presentation in the classroom and in the written test, the ability to demonstrate: a) knowledge of the relevant legislation and jurisprudence and the relative doctrinal analysis; b) effective understanding of the notions, general principles and above all the underlying 'logic' of the subject learned during the lessons and from the study of texts (e.g., which objectives are pursued by the legislator, which public interests are at stake, what are the basic general legal principles, what is the role of the various institutional actors, what are the macro-changes that have taken place in the legal framework). 2) in answering the aforementioned questions, the use of the correct legal terminology. 3) the degree of student participation in the discussions held during the lessons. For non-attending students, the (written) exam consists of three/four questions relating to the reference text, against which the student will be evaluated on the basis of two criteria: 1) the ability to demonstrate: a) knowledge of the relevant legislation and jurisprudence and the relative doctrinal analysis; b) effective understanding of the notions, general principles and above all the underlying 'logic' of the matter learned from the study of the texts (e.g., which objectives are pursued by the legislator, which public interests are at stake, which are the principles general legal background, what is the role of the various institutional actors, what are the macro-changes that have taken place in the legal framework). 2) The use of correct legal terminology.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

See the exam methods

Exam language

Inglese (o italiano)

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