The EU Rights Clinic welcomes applications from postgraduate law students at Kent who are keen to experience EU law in action. Students studying with Kent Law School at Canterbury or Brussels are invited to apply by Friday 21 January 2022 for the current academic year.
What is the EU Rights Clinic?
The EU Rights Clinic is a law clinic, established in partnership between the University of Kent in Brussels and the non-governmental organisation European Citizen Action Service (ECAS). The clinic seeks to contribute to improvements in EU policy and legislation by engaging in strategic litigation and advocacy efforts targeting systematic breaches of EU free movement and migration rights by the national authorities of the Member States. The clinic’s educational aim is to provide students with an opportunity to broaden their education by experiencing law in action. The clinic is intended to expose students to the practical functioning of the EU rules on migration and the free movement of persons including visas, residence formalities, nationality, social security and equality of treatment among other areas of EU law.
What projects does the clinic have in the pipeline for this year?
The EU Rights Clinic is contemplating the submission of complaints to the EU institutions concerning the implementation of the EU free movement rules and the provisions on Citizens Rights under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. There will also be an opportunity to follow up on existing complaints against Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands which are pending before the European Commission. Individual casework assignments include assisting EU citizens who are facing termination of their residence rights in Belgium.
What activities can students participate in?
Students who volunteer with the EU Rights Clinic will have the opportunity to help EU citizens and non-EU nationals who have requested our assistance in resolving difficulties that they may face in exercising their rights under EU law. This may take the form of providing written advice on individual cases, drafting complaints and petitions to the EU institutions, drafting submissions to national authorities, and undertaking research in support of litigation before the courts. Students are also encouraged to make use of their own initiative and identify actions to take on existing up with on on-going clinic projects.
Working across two campuses and beyond
The EU Rights Clinic aims to provide students in Canterbury and Brussels with opportunities to engage in collaboration by working across two of the University’s campuses. The students may work in partnership with other volunteers – including PhD students and qualified lawyers – from different backgrounds from around Europe and beyond.
How much time does volunteering involve?
The EU Rights Clinic will run from February until June and will meet approximately once a month in plenary and twice a month in small groups. Students are expected to work on average about one to two hours per week on their case assignments (not during assessment periods). The clinic’s meetings will be held online.
How to get involved?
Please fill out the on-line application form on the dedicated moodle page for the EU Rights Clinic. All participating students are required to become members of the clinic and sign a confidentiality undertaking.