Executive Programme 2026
EU Law Developments and the Impact on Asian Trade, Investments and Businesses
Speaker’s Profile
Savvas Michael
Head of Dissertations and Research – The University of Law
Savvas Michael read Law at the University of Cambridge and has an LLM in European Law from Université Paris II, Panthéon-Assas (Paris Campus). He spent five years working in the City of London, including within the Legal team at the Bank of England.
Savvas joined The University of Law in 2019 and has held positions of LLM Course Head in London; Associate Dean of the Hong Kong Campus (where he lived for two years); and is now Head of Dissertations and Research. Savvas has also taught at other universities on an adjunct basis, including University College London, the University of Cambridge and Shanghai University. Savvas is delighted to be able to host this seminar in Singapore, particularly as an alumnus of Pantheon-Assas.
This seminar will consist of three modules:
1) Free Trade Agreements between the EU and Asian States;
2) Free Movement of Businesses and Non-EU Foreign Direct Investments; and
3) EU Competition Law.
This Seminar will consist of three modules. Firstly, there will be an analysis of the EU’s existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Asian States. At present, there are four such FTAs, including the 2019 EU Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA), as well as EU relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Secondly, there will be coverage of the EU internal market and ‘four freedoms’, including notably the Free Movement of Businesses. This will lead to discussion of a recent significant European Court of Justice (ECJ) case on non-EU Foreign Direct Investment, Xella, which was subject to much controversy. It will evaluate the impact this has on investment from Asia into the EU. Thirdly, there will be an overview of EU Competition Law and how another important recent ECJ case, Towercast, has changed the regime. It will also cover how Asian businesses are affected by EU Competition Law.
The Seminar will thus be split into three parts over four hours, with breaks incorporated throughout. It will be very much an interactive workshop, with plenty of opportunities for questions, discussion and debate. It will inform students of various important areas of EU Law – as well as the modules above, throughout the seminar students will also learn about the role of key EU Institutions, and Primary and Secondary Legislation across all three modules. The seminar will also directly address how these areas of EU Law impact Asian States, Investment and Businesses, including specific coverage of Singapore.
Dates:
1 & 2 April 2026 – 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Duration:
Total 4 hours
Two 2 hour-classes
Location:
Assas campus, Singapore
Online attendance is also available
Programme Overview
DAY 1 Wednesday, April 1st, 2026
(1 hour)
Introduction to EU Law: Institutions, Primary and Secondary Legislation, Legislative Procedure.
(1 hour)
In 2015, the European Union (EU) signed its first ‘new generation’ free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea. These ‘new generation’ FTAs are designed to promote environmental sustainability, human rights and the rule of democratic law, as well as of course to facilitate the mutual benefits of trade. This FTA was also the first bilateral agreement signed between the EU and an East Asian state but was then followed by FTAs signed with Japan in 2019; Singapore in 2019; and Vietnam in 2020.
This module will be an analysis into each of these FTAs, as well the EU’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
DAY 2 Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
(1 hour)
This module will introduce the EU internal or single market, and the four freedoms, which is one of the key parts of substantive EU Law. The focus will be on the Free Movement of Businesses, under the Freedom of Establishment, Free Movement of Capital and the Free Movement of Services. This will lead to discussion of a recent significant European Court of Justice (ECJ) case on non-EU Foreign Direct Investment, Xella, which was subject to much controversy. It will evaluate the impact this has on investment from Asia into the EU.
(1 hour)
This module will inform of EU Competition Law, notably the key articles of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) and the EU Merger Regulation (EUMR). Competition Law has significantly changed in recent years, with the introduction of the Digital Markets Act and ‘killer acquisitions’, which will be discussed.
However, the focus of this module will be on how another important recent ECJ case, Towercast, has significantly changed the Competition Law regime. It will also importantly cover how Asian businesses are affected by EU Competition Law and thus outline why it is absolutely crucial for Asian Businesses to have an understanding of EU Competition Law.
Fees:
- Early Bird Price (registration by 18 March 2026):
- SGD 160 (full 2-day programme)
- Regular Price (registration after 19 March 2026):
- SGD 190 (full 2-day programme)
CPD Accreditation:
CPD points: 4 Public CPD Points
(2 Public CPD
Points each for Day 1 & 2)
Practice area: International Law
Training category: General
Participants who wish to obtain CPD Points are reminded that they must comply strictly with the Attendance Policy set out in the CPD Guidelines. For participants attending the face-to-face activity, this includes signing in on arrival and signing out at the conclusion of each day of the activity in the manner required by the organiser, and not being absent from each day of the activity for more than 15 minutes. For those participating via the webinar, this includes logging in at the start of the webinar and logging out at the conclusion of the webinar on each day of the activity in the manner required by the organiser, and not being away from any part of the webinar for more than 15 minutes on each day of the activity. Participants may obtain Public CPD Points for each day of the event on which they comply strictly with the Attendance Policy. Participants who do not comply with the Attendance Policy on any particular day of the activity will not be able to obtain CPD Points for that day of the activity. Please refer to www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.
