The program in European and International Business Law trains students for careers as international lawyers. It targets students who have already taken courses in European and international law. Many of the courses are taught in English. Around one third of the class spends the second semester abroad at a partner university.
The program consists of 345 hours of instruction, spread out between September and the end of March.
More than half of the courses are taught in English in order to acclimate the cohort to the most commonly used language in business. As the international business world does not distinguish between private and public law, nor do we.
For the spring semester, some students may elect to study abroad at one of Dauphine’s partner universities. Students are also encourage to participate in major events such as the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.
There are three steps to the admissions process:
Students can write a doctoral thesis after completing this degree.
ECTS : 1
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 0
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 2
Lecturer in charge : Gabriele MECARELLI
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 12
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Weighting : 18.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Georges DECOCQ (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/decocq-georges)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Course content:
Etude des grandes libertés économiques
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise de la liberté d'établissement, de la liberté de prestation de services, de circulation des personnes…
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 4
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 24
Course content:
Règles européennes de droit des sociétés/Droit européen de la faillite
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise des règles européennes d'harmonisation du droit des sociétés et de l'insolvabilité.
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 4
Lecturers : Sabine THIBAULT-LIGER, Nicolas ZACHARIE
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 24
Course content:
Droit de la concurrence européen et des fusions acquisitions
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise des outils de droit de la concurrence européen et de réglementation des fusions à travers l'étude de cas pratiques
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Antoine LOUVARIS (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/louvaris-antoine)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 2
Lecturer in charge : Denis BENSAUDE
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 15
Course content:
Arbitrage commercial international
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise des concepts de base du droit français de l'arbitrage commercial international, étude de la clause et de ses effets, de la procédure arbitrale, des sentences, de leur exécution et des voies de recours
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Arnaud RAYNOUARD (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/raynouard-arnaud)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 12
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 1
Language of instruction : French
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 2
Lecturer in charge : Coralie RAFFENNE (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/raffenne-coralie)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 12
Course content:
The course explores the evolution of the notion of sustainability, from sustainable development to sustainability due diligence, in international, European and national legal frameworks. Beyond the concept of sustainability, it introduces alternative concepts such as the rights of nature and the legal personality of natural elements.
OUTLINE
I. DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY : GOALS
This session introduces the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global framework for sustainable development and examines their legal relevance at both the international and EU levels. Students will explore the soft law character of the SDGs, their integration into international treaties and EU policies, and the challenges of enforcement. The class will combine lecture input, case analysis, and a role-play negotiation exercise.
II. DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY : MEANS
This session introduces the EU’s sustainable finance framework as a key pillar of the European Green Deal. Students will examine how financial regulation, investment practices, and corporate disclosure requirements are being reshaped to channel capital towards sustainable economic activities. The class will also critically assess whether the EU’s sustainable finance regime is effective in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target.
III. CORPORATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE
This class examines the concept of environmental due diligence and liability within international and EU legal frameworks. It explores how states and corporations are required to prevent, mitigate, and remedy environmental harm through international treaties, EU legislation, and soft law standards. Students will analyze landmark cases, emerging regulations (e.g., EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), and international principles (e.g., OECD Guidelines, UNGPs), and will apply them in interactive exercises simulating compliance and liability disputes.
IV. RIGHTS OF NATURE : THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW PARADIGM ?
This part of the course examines how contemporary environmental law is being reshaped by the convergence of three powerful movements: Earth jurisprudence, Rights of Nature, and Indigenous legal orders. Together they challenge the traditional anthropocentric foundations of Western law and propose new ecologically grounded and culturally diverse forms of legal reasoning.
Skills to be acquired:
Overview of the main aspects of sustainability in law with a specific focus on corporate sustainability issues.
Assessment:
ASSESSMENT : 100% CC
60% : ORAL PRESENTATION (IN GROUPS -INDIVIDUAL GRADE)
20% : PARTICIPATION (ROLE PLAYING EXERCISES etc..)
20% : INDIVIDUAL TESTS IN CLASS
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Course content:
Règles de compétence et de fond spécifiques de l'arbitrage d'investissement (CIRDI, ad hoc)
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise des principales règles régissant les arbitrages internationaux
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 4
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 24
Course content:
Etude de cas de droit des affaires à l'international
Skills to be acquired:
Savoir mobiliser les règles pertinentes de droit des affaires international dans un cas pratique
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Renaud SALOMON (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/salomon-renaud)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 15
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Morgan SWEENEY (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/sweeney-morgan)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 4
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 24
Course content:
Etude de plusieurs contrats spéciaux internationaux : vente, services…
Skills to be acquired:
Maîtrise des principaux outils pratiques régissant les contrats spéciaux internationaux
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 2
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 12
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Helene VAN LITH (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/van-lith-helene)
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 18
Course content:
Lecture 1 - The EU Approach to jurisdiction: The Brussels Regime
The Brussels I Regulation Recast, its Structure and the special jurisdiction rules concerning contractual matters and tortuous acts. The importance of determining the place of performance and the branch.
Lecture 2 – Case practice
Lecture 3 - The EU Approach to jurisdiction: The Brussels Regime: Torts, branch jurisdiction and interim relief
The Brussels I Regulation Recast jurisdiction concerning tortuous acts and the importance of branch jurisdiction and interim relief.
Lecture 4 + 5 - Comparative overview of Anglo-US Common Law on Jurisdiction.
Introduction to different origins and starting points to UK common law and US law on jurisdictional compared to compared to the Brussels I Regulation scheme.
UK Common law on jurisdiction: based on presence in England and service of process within the jurisdiction. Absent Defendant: Service of process outside the UK. Discretionary powers of English courts under the forum (non) conveniens doctrine.
Interaction between UK common law traditions and the ‘Brussels Regime’: Conflict of jurisdictions and parallel procedures: Judicial discretion and the forum non conveniens doctrine. Reflect on how current practice and ECJ Rulings would be resolved post Brexit and if the courts were to be allocated jurisdiction under the UK common law and US jurisdiction rules? The Lis Pendens- rule and Related Actions. Anti-suit injunctions in the Brussels system. Forum Shopping and Abuse of Process. Reflex Doctrine.
US Law on Jurisdiction Starting point and jurisdictional scheme under Brussels I Regulation compared with US jurisdictional rules: Constitutionalisation of US jurisdiction rules and the due process clause. Minimum Contacts: US long-arm statutes conferring jurisdiction on doing and transacting business criteria. General and specific jurisdiction. Purposeful availment of contacts and traditional notions of justice. Public and private factors and the US version of the forum non convenience doctrine.
Lecture 6: Party autonomy in litigation
Voluntary prorogation of jurisdiction, substantive and formal validity; asymmetrical clauses, article 25 Brussels Recast and The Hague Convention 2005. Interaction between state court litigation in and international arbitration. Anti-suit injunctions and arbitration exclusion.
Settlement of commercial disputes/ Alternative means to solve cross border disputes. ADR mechanisms: Mediation, expert determination, and dispute boards. The impact of settlement agreements and contractually binding decisions in the international arena and the role of courts or state authority. Is there a need for cross border recognition and enforcement aspects of ADR mechanisms? Mechanism of recognition and enforcement compared: Identifying the recognition mechanism (automatic/abolishment of exequatur): The rise of International Commercial Courts
Skills to be acquired:
This course covers essential principles relating to international jurisdiction, choice of law and free movement of judgments, within the European judicial area but also beyond through a comparative study of the UK and US common law on international jurisdiction. While tackling practical consequences of globalization of legal relationships and its incidence on legal structures and different approaches to transnational justice and cross border commercial litigation. The course will cover specific topics of practical importance ranging from international business transactions to environmental damages, and from strategic and complex litigation to corporate social responsibility in the international arena. Special attention is given to trends or latest development in international dispute resolution in court litigation, arbitration and other ADR techniques such as the increasing importance of party autonomy and the post-Brexit area. The course is designed as an interactive course, with a focus on comparative case-studies and intends to provide students with the complex tools and skills needed to understand and act within an increasingly transnational legal environment.
Mandatory prerequisites
good understanding of principles of (international) law and conflict of laws.
Assessment:
Control continue (active participation) + Oral Exam
Weighting : 1.00
Bibliography, recommended reading:
as per outline
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Skills to be acquired:
Mise en œuvre des connaissances acquises pendant l'année académique.
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Lecturer in charge : Helene VAN LITH (https://dauphine.psl.eu/recherche/cvtheque/van-lith-helene)
Language of instruction : French
Course content:
participation (written and oral rounds) of Willem C Vis International Arbitration Moot Court and PAX MOOT COURT - EU FUNDED
Skills to be acquired:
draft and write submissions/memoranda claimant vs respondent. plead a case
Mandatory prerequisites
good understanding of principles of (international) law, international arbitration and conflict of laws.
Assessment:
evaluation of participation and progress made on writing skills and pleading in front of the moot judges/arbitrators
Weighting : 1.00
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Teaching hours : 0
ECTS : 27
Language of instruction : French
ECTS : 3
Language of instruction : French
Weighting : 1.00