UCC Team Participates in Prestigious European Law Moot Court Competition in Sofia, Bulgaria

27 Mar 2024

A team representing University College Cork recently participated in the Regional Final of the prestigious European Law Moot Court Competition (ELMC) held in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

This marked the first time a UCC team had the opportunity to showcase their legal prowess and in-depth understanding of EU law in the ELMC, beating out dozens of teams in the written stage of the competition to advance to the oral pleadings.

The team, comprising Diarmaid Byrne (BCL, second year), Noa Marie Pilger (License de droit, third year), Géraldine Thomann (License de droit, third year), and Enguerran de la Poix de Fréminville (Master droit européen), received guidance and coaching from Dr. Luigi Lonardo, Acting Director of the Centre for European Integration.

They rigorously prepared for the competition, dedicating months to honing their advocacy skills and developing a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of EU law and its legal systems. The ELMC is a bilingual competition, offering a unique platform for students from across the European Union to compete in front of a simulated EU Court of Justice.

The 2024 competition presented participants with three complex issues involving the jurisdiction of national and EU courts in decisions made under the Common Foreign and Security Policy, regarding the protection of political decisions and the vindication of fundamental rights, as well as the applicability of EU competition law legislation to the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), and the capacity of the provisions FSR to give rise to rights having direct effect before national courts.

Their months of work culminated in a strong performance at the Regional Finals, with each team member playing different roles throughout the competition, representing applicant, defendant and Advocate General. This required them to formulate and present arguments encompassing procedural, institutional, and substantive facets of EU law, in both French and English. Though they did not advance past the preliminary round, the UCC team impressed the judges and fellow competitors with their effective and convincing arguments, demonstrating their exceptional grasp of EU law and legal advocacy skills.

The team acknowledges and expresses their appreciation to Dr. Lonardo for his invaluable support throughout their journey. They are grateful for his dedication, guidance, and training, which played a pivotal role in equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to compete at an international level. They would also like to thank their sponsor, RDJ, whose support enabled them to travel to the historic city of Sofia and participate in this unique learning experience.

This significant achievement on the part of the team and UCC School of Law serves as a testament to the commitment and dedication of both the students and faculty to excellence in legal education and advocacy skills.

The experience provided the team with a platform to hone their practical legal skills and increase their knowledge of international and EU law, while connecting with participants from all over the EU.