JUS5641 - Electronic Communications Law
Course content
The course is a continuation of JUS5640 - Electronic Communications Law (discontinued).
The course examines how the European Union (EU) regulates one of its most dynamic, innovative industries: the electronic communications sector. The course concentrates on the efforts of the EU to deregulate and re-regulate electronic communications networks and services in order to achieve Union-wide competition in the sector. Account is also taken of the global context for this area of regulation. Accordingly, account is taken of the regulatory roles played by non-EU actors in the field, particularly the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and World Trade Organization (WTO). The main legal instruments examined in the course are Directives 2002/21/EC, 2002/19/EC, 2002/20/EC, and 2002/22/EC (all as amended), Regulation (EC) 1211/2009, along with relevant Commission recommendations and guidelines.
A salient set of issues taken up in the course concern the interaction and respective roles of, on the one hand, rules on Significant Market Power and, on the other hand, rules of general EU competition law.
The themes taken up in the course can be summed up with the following key words: liberalization; harmonisation; competition; access; interconnection; market analysis; significant market power; universal service; authorization; broadcasting.
Learning outcome
The primary objective of the course is to impart a solid understanding of the central EU rules governing electronic communications and the provision of services based on such communications.
A secondary objective is to impart understanding of the main ways in which general EU competition law interacts with the rules dealing specifically with electronic communications, along with the principal similarities and differences between the two sets of rules.
A further aim of the course is not just to elucidate the relevant legal rules as they currently stand but also to encourage critical appraisal of them. This involves analysing and challenging the assumptions upon which the rules are based, and discussion of alternative regulatory possibilities.
Admission
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master’s programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange programme. You can also register for this course if you do not have admission to any programme at UiO, but meet the formal prerequistites.
All students are required meet the formal prerequistites.
Have you met the formal prerequisites at another institution than the University of Oslo, and the results are not formally registered at UiO, you must apply for admission to courses at Master’s level . Students with admission to Master’s degree programmes at other faculties than The Faculty of Law must also apply for admission.
When your admission is in order you must register for courses in StudentWeb
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Students must fill one of these requirements:
- Passed 1st - 3rd year of studies in Master's of Law (masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or examinations that qualify for exemption from these) or
- Having a 5-years Master’s degree in Laws (masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or equivalent.
Students with admission to the faculty’s exchange programme and students with admission to any master’s degree programme at the University of Oslo (except masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap) has an exemption from the formal prerequisites.
Recommended previous knowledge
Three years of law studies.
Overlapping courses
5 credits overlap with JUR1640 - Electronic Communications Law (BA) (discontinued), 5 credits overlap with VALTELE - Telecommunications Law (discontinued), 5 credits overlap with VALECLIG - Electronic Communications Law and Internet Governance (discontinued), 5 credits overlap with JUTTELE - Telecommunications Law (discontinued), 5 credits overlap with JUTECELIG, 5 credits overlap with ICTLTELE - Telecommunications Law (discontinued), 6 credits overlap with ICTLCLIG, 5 credits overlap with JUR5640 - Electronic Communications Law and Internet Governance (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with JUR1641 - Electronic Communications Law (BA) and 10 credits overlap with JUS5640 - Electronic Communications Law (discontinued).Teaching
Lectures/seminars, 20 hours.
Language of teaching for this course is English. This means that all communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all literature and auxiliary materials are in English.
Examination
Exam consists of two parts: a mid-term paper and a 4 hour written examination. Students who fail or do not deliver the mid-term essay will not be allowed to sit for the 4 hour examination.
In case of retake, a candidate must retake both examinations, even if the candidate has successfully passed one of the examinations.
Please note that if a student wish to file an appeal in only one of the examinations, both examinations will automatically undergo a regrading.
Examination support material
Regulations for support materials permitted at examination for courses taught in English . Please read all three chapters.
Language of examination
The language of examination for this course is English. This means that the examination question will be given in English, and students may answer in English only.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
The mid-term paper will account for 30% of the total grade, while the written examination will account for 70%. One grade is given for the whole coursework.
Explanations and appeals
You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
A student can sit for this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do this in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit for the exam. A study programme may have rules that further limit the number of times a student may re-take this exam. In such instances the rules of the study programme will have priority.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.
Other
The language for this course is English. Students enrolled in the Masterprogrammet i rettsvitenskap must pass one English subject as part of their degree, this course will meet these obligations.
This subject is taught at Master 's level. The subject is also taught at Bachelor's level (15 ECTS credits), see JUR1640 - Electronic Communications Law (BA) (discontinued). Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's level.