Students explore practices of enforcing federalism, operating ombudspersons and coordinating social security systems under ProEU and EUSOSEL projects

The last series of lectures and seminars was held for PSU students (Institute of Law) under the module “Protection of Human Rights within and across the European Union” within the ProEU project and module “Social Security Law in the European Union” within the EUSOSEL project.

Together with Evgenii Bitiutskii, PhD in Legal Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Law Enforcement (ProEU project), the students explored the federalism doctrines in the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Austria and the Federal Republic of Germany. Based on the examined materials, they identified the features of Russian federalism, as well as compared the focus and scope of the federalism doctrines in the selected federal states. In addition, the submodule “Insight into federalism with regard to human rights” enabled the students to recognise federalism as a balance between the state interests and the citizens interests.

Evgenii Bitiutskii illustrated the impact of human rights principles on federalism, and students tried to explain the legal, political and institutional benefits of federalism for the protection of human rights. The classes were organised online, but this did not prevent the students from discussing the importance of humanising justice. They also expressed their ideas on reforming governance in various countries, including the federal states (the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany). The students acknowledge the relevance to study the developments in Russian and foreign law in the light of human rights protection.

The final section of the module “Social Security Law in the European Union” (EUSOSEL project) included acquainting students with the concept, focus and legal framework for coordination of social security systems in the EU. Anna Aleksandrova, PhD in Legal Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Legal Disciplines, showed the role of the EU institutions and bodies in coordinating social security systems. Under the supervision of the teacher, the students also considered the mechanism of coordinating social security systems through pension law in the EU member states.

Anastasiia Ryzhova, PhD in Legal Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Legal Disciplines, engaged the students in analysing the documents, which regulate the issues of coordinating social security systems. Thanks to the explored topics, the students will be able to carry out a comparative legal analysis of pension provision regulation in the European Union and in the Russian Federation.

Under the submodule “Fundamental principles of the effective Ombudsperson” (ProEU project), the students recognised the Ombudsperson as an additional mechanism for protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in the EU and examine the principles of building the effective Ombudsperson applied around the world. At the lecture, Danil Feoktistov, PhD in Legal Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Private and Public Law, introduced the students to the legal institute of the Ombudsperson (history of the emergence in Sweden, spread in Western Europe, competence and functioning features of the Ombudsperson, place of the Ombudsperson in the system of public authorities).

During the seminars, the students discussed the emergence and development of the Ombudsperson in the EU, as well as compared and analysed the competences of the ombudspersons and the effectiveness of the exercise of their powers in individual political systems of the EU member states. The result of mastering the submodule was the student projects. Danil Feoktistov gave his feedback on the presented projects at the final seminar.