The symposium explores the concept and the role of the family in EU law from four different angles: (1) the philosophical and theoretical foundations of the family in the law in general, including the definition of the family under EU law; (2) an overview of the rights conferred upon the family by Union law and an assessment of whether these cater for the needs of all families; (3) approach to family diversity in EU law in comparison with the European Convention on Human Rights; and (4) how EU law deals with some situations of crisis that are faced by families in the EU. 

Programme

Thursday, 25 April 

12.30-13.00 Registration 

13.00-13.15 Welcome address 

Marja-Liisa Öberg (Lund University) and Alina Tryfonidou (University of Cyprus) 

13.15-13.45 Keynote address ‘Is there a European Family Law?’ 

Jens M. Scherpe (University of Aalborg) 

13.45-15.15 PANEL 1: THE FAMILY IN EU LAW: CONCEPT AND CONTEXT

Chair: Eva Ryrstedt (Lund University) 

‘What is a “family” in EU law: Do EU policies sufficiently address family diversity and its consequences?’ 

Alina Tryfonidou (University of Cyprus) 

‘What counts as a family? The nature and value of family membership’ 

David Archard (Queen’s University Belfast) 

‘One big happy “European family”? An external perspective’ 

Marja-Liisa Öberg (Lund University) 

15.15-15.45 Coffee 

15.45-17.15 PANEL 2: THE EU FAMILY: DIVERSITY AND CRISES 

Chair: Xavier Groussot (Lund University) 

‘All Paths Lead to Equality? Same-sex couples and rainbow families under European law’ 

Geoffrey Willems (Université catholique de Louvain) 

‘The abused and neglected child in the EU family: Risk, borders and public law child protection’ 

Ruth Lamont (University of Manchester) 

‘The EU family: Surviving ideological familism in times of illiberalism’ 

Nausica Palazzo (NOVA Law School, Lisbon) 

Friday, 26 April

09.00-10.30  PANEL 3: THE EU FAMILY AND RIGHTS

Chair: Titti Mattsson (Lund University)

‘The Fundament of the Fundaments? Family Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights’

Alezini Loxa (Lund University)

‘The Status of Family Member as a Pre-Condition of the Free Movement in the EU’

Michael Bogdan (Lund University)

‘Family members and the Citizens' Rights Directive: Broadening the scope of the principle of effective judicial protection’

Albertina Albors-Llorens (University of Cambridge)

10.30-11.00  Coffee

11.00-12.00  PANEL DISCUSSION: WHAT ROLE FOR THE FAMILY IN EU LAW?

Moderators: Jens M. Scherpe (University of Aalborg) and Vladislava Stoyanova (Lund University)

12.00-12.15  Closing remarks

Marja-Liisa Öberg and Alina Tryfonidou

Please register by email to marja-liisa [dot] oberg [at] jur [dot] lu [dot] se

The Symposium is organised with the support of the Centre for European Studies at Lund University.