Law and Institutions

Suppose we want to switch to a hydrogen based economy in which fuel cell cars are used as power plants. Or suppose we want a fully automated inland terminal. And what about the construction of multifunctional dikes? You cannot 'just' realize that but you have to be aware of the relevant legal and institutional framework. That framework will enable you to make things happen, but it can also contain constraints.

This course focuses on the legal and institutional framework to take into account with that kind of projects. Are there for instance legal instruments to force people to switch to fuel cell cars? And to what institutional layer do those instruments belong? Are they easy to change? Or: can the government subsidize the transition to a fully automated inland terminal? What are the constraints? And can we work around those constraints? Or: what exactly has to be studied for the environmental impact assessment regarding the dike? Does an environmental impact assessment have to be conducted at all?

Students are requested to form groups and select a case. Then, the group will present its case in an elevator pitch to all the students and make an initial outline for the legal and institutional aspects of the case. On the basis of those pitches, we will dive into the world of law in order to see what defines the design space for those projects, what areas of law are relevant, whether the law forms a barrier or not and how the law can be used to realize those projects. Next to these group assignments, which will be finalized by a group paper, there will be an individual exam.