Students are strongly encouraged to attend the module only after acquiring basic knowledge in the field of Private Law.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Knowledge and Understanding

• Understand the foundations of European company law, with particular focus on the freedom of establishment, cross-border cooperation mechanisms (mergers, joint ventures, acquisitions), and the regulatory company law models adopted by EU Member States.
• Know the main international and EU legal instruments in the field of intellectual property, with a focus on trademarks, copyright, and the implications of artificial intelligence.
• Understand the principles and sources of Italian company law, in a comparative perspective and in relation to the European legal context.
• Gain familiarity with the main European regulatory policies on sustainability, with specific reference to both company law and financial markets law.

2. Applying Knowledge and Understanding

• Analyze real-life cases of cross-border corporate transactions within the EU, identifying the most appropriate legal structure and assessing the impact of national legal choices.
• Apply European and international norms for the protection of intellectual property rights in complex business and digital environments.
• Evaluate the impact of new technologies (e.g., AI) on intellectual property protection.
• Recognize and discuss the legal challenges of sustainable transition in regulated sectors (with specific reference to the fashion industry).

3. Making Judgments

• Develop a critical approach in evaluating corporate investment strategies within the EU, taking into account the diversity of national legal systems.
• Formulate informed opinions on the tensions between business competitiveness and sustainability in European company law.
• Recognize the ethical and legal dilemmas associated with the use of artificial intelligence in the creation and management of intellectual property.

4. Communication Skills

• Clearly and effectively communicate key legal concepts and issues related to European company law and intellectual property.
• Argue complex and interdisciplinary legal topics both orally and in writing, using appropriate legal terminology.

5. Learning Skills

• Develop autonomous abilities to stay up to date with legal and jurisprudential developments, particularly in fast-evolving areas such as AI and sustainability.

The course will be taught exclusively in English

Part 1: Intellectual Property

• International and European legal framework
• Trademarks (with a focus on the EU trademark)
• Copyright
• The European Artificial Intelligence Act (impact on IP law)

Part 2: Italian Company Law (for students enrolled in both the 6- and 8-ECTS versions of the course)

• Fundamentals of Italian business and company law

Part 3: Legal Structures for Cross-Border Corporate Investment in the EU: Joint Ventures and Comparative Approaches (for students enrolled in both the 6- and 8-ECTS versions of the course)

• Forms of direct investment within the EU: incorporation, acquisition, equity participation
• Differences between subsidiaries, branches, contractual joint ventures, and corporate joint ventures
• Legal criteria for choosing the Member State and the corporate form

Part 4: Sustainability in European Company Law and Financial Markets Regulation (only for students enrolled in the 8-ECTS version of the course)

• Sustainability in general and theories on the purpose of the corporation
• European sustainability policies
• Focus: Fashion and sustainability

For 6 CFU-ECTS students:

(A) Varrasi G.; Italian Business Law; Giappichelli ed.; 2015 (in full)) ; 978-8834858202

For 8 CFU-ECTS students:

(A) Varrasi G.; Italian Business Law; Giappichelli ed.; 2015 (in full); 978-8834858202

(A) Sjåfjell B., Bruner C.M. (eds); The Cambridge Handbook of Corporate Law, Corporate Governance and Sustainability; Cambridge University Press Cambridge; 2019; Chapters 1, 6, 14, 46, 47; 978-1108473293, 978-1108658386

For ALL students, the Professor will provide materials to cover parts of the programme.

These materials are to be considered an integral part of the syllabus.

• The teacher delivers lectures on the topics mentioned in this syllabus.

  Flipped classroom teaching style is going to be used. Regarding some specific subjects, attending students shall be required to read short readings suggested by the instructor and eventually deliver a presentation to their colleagues, to stimulate a fruitful debate on the most relevant topics the course deals with.

  
  

• Students will be required to take a final written exam lasting 40 minutes, without the use of any reference materials. All answers must be provided in English.

  The exam will consist of multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question. Exam questions will cover the entire course content.

  
  

  Assessment considers:

  a) understanding and knowledge of the abovementioned topics (40%)

  b) ability to apply knowledge to actual cases (35%)

  c) ability to link different topics (15%)

  d) autonomy of judgement and critical thinking (10%)

  
  

  
  

  
  

Italian

English