Prof Tobias Lock

    Law, Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights

    Professor

    New House
    204
    (01) 4747271

    Biography

    Tobias Lock joined the Department of Law in January 2019 as a Professor of Law.  In 2020 he was awarded a Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights through the European Union's Erasmus+ programme. Tobias' previous places of work include Edinburgh Law School, where he was a Senior Lecturer in EU Law and co-director of the Europa Institute, University College London, the University of Surrey and the University of Erlangen (Germany), where he received most of his legal education.

    Tobias’ research and teaching interests are in European law and human rights law. He is mainly interested in the interaction between different legal orders. Recently, he has focused much of his attention on the legal questions raised by Brexit. He has given evidence to numerous parliamentary committees in the UK and written commissioned reports for the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. From 2019-2020 he was an advisor on EU constitutional law to the Scottish Parliament's Committee on Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs.

    Tobias retains a keen interest in the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. 

    In 2018 he was awarded a British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award. During 2018 he also served as a member of the Scottish First Minister's Advisory Group on Human Rights Leadership. He is a member of the advisory board of the Scottish Centre on European Relations. He is admitted to the German bar as a Rechtsanwalt.





    Research Interests

    Tobias’ research interest lies broadly speaking in the EU’s multilevel relations with other legal orders. His main focus is on courts as frontline actors in this plural legal environment. He has published two books on the relations between the European Court of Justice and international courts and has done much work on the relationship between the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular the EU’s accession to the Convention.

    Tobias' research in this regard has recently been dominated by the many legal questions surrounding 'Brexit'.

    Brexit notwithstanding, Tobias retains a keen interest in EU fundamental rights law and in particular the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

    Tobias has also published on the application of European law and legal remedies by national courts in different Member States with a particular focus on the UK and Germany. This allows him to combine his interest in comparative law with that in European law. As part of this research he published an article on Member State liability in the national courts and another article addressing the differences in the application of the law on belief discrimination in England and Germany.  His other other research interests include EU constitutional law; (comparative) German constitutional law, and law and religion.

    Much of his work is accessible on his SSRN page.

    Tobias welcomes enquiries from potential students interested in undertaking research degrees in any of these fields.




    Books

      Year Publication
    2015 The European Court of Justice and International Courts.
    Tobias Lock (2015) The European Court of Justice and International Courts. Oxford: 2015. [Details]
    2010 Das Verhältnis zwischen dem EuGH und internationalen Gerichten.
    Tobias Lock (2010) Das Verhältnis zwischen dem EuGH und internationalen Gerichten. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. [Details]

    Book Chapters

      Year Publication
    2020 'In the twilight zone: the transition period in the Withdrawal Agreement'
    Tobias Lock (2020) 'In the twilight zone: the transition period in the Withdrawal Agreement' In: The Routledge Handbook on the International Dimension of Brexit. London: Routledge. [Details]
    2019 'Fishing for Better Rights Protection: the Court of Justice on the Application of the Charter in the Member States and the Reach of ne bis in idem'
    Tobias Lock (2019) 'Fishing for Better Rights Protection: the Court of Justice on the Application of the Charter in the Member States and the Reach of ne bis in idem' In: Valsamis Mitsilegas; Alberto di Martino; Leandro Mancano (eds). The Court of Justice and European Criminal Law. Oxford: Hart. [Details]
    2019 'Articles 6, 9-12 TEU; Articles 1-19, 22, 24, 27-33, 35-38, 41-42, 47-54 CFR'
    Tobias Lock (2019) 'Articles 6, 9-12 TEU; Articles 1-19, 22, 24, 27-33, 35-38, 41-42, 47-54 CFR' In: Manuel Kellerbauer/Marchus Klamert/Jonathan Tomkin (eds). The EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]
    2018 'Das Brexit-Experiment: ein verfassungsrechtlicher Härtetest'
    Tobias Lock (2018) 'Das Brexit-Experiment: ein verfassungsrechtlicher Härtetest' In: Stefan Kadelbach (eds). Verfassungskrisen in der Europäischen Union. Baden-Baden: Nomos. [Details]
    2018 'Scotland and Brexit'
    Tobias Lock (2018) 'Scotland and Brexit' In: Andreas Kellerhals; Tobias Baumgartner (eds). New Dynamics in the European Integration Process - Europe post-Brexit. Zurich: Schulthess. [Details]
    2017 'A differentiated Brexit for Scotland?'
    Tobias Lock (2017) 'A differentiated Brexit for Scotland?' In: Gerry Hassan, Russell Gunson (eds). Scotland, the UK and Brexit: A Guide to the Future. Edinburgh: Luath Press. [Details]
    2017 'The not so free choice of EU member states in international dispute settlement'
    Tobias Lock (2017) 'The not so free choice of EU member states in international dispute settlement' In: Marise Cremona, Anne Thies, Ramses A Wessel (eds). The European Union and International Dispute Settlement. Oxford: Hart. [Details]
    2017 'The EU before the European Court of Human Rights after accession'
    Tobias Lock (2017) 'The EU before the European Court of Human Rights after accession' In: Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Nicholas Hatzis (eds). Research Handbook on EU Law and Human Rights. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. [Details]
    2016 'Bosphorus Hava Yollari Turizm veTicaret Anonim Sirketi v Ireland, App. No. 45036/98, European Court of Human Rights, 30 June 2005'
    Tobias Lock (2016) 'Bosphorus Hava Yollari Turizm veTicaret Anonim Sirketi v Ireland, App. No. 45036/98, European Court of Human Rights, 30 June 2005' In: Cedric Ryngaert, Ige F Dekker, Ramses A Wessel, Jan Wouters (eds). Judicial Decisions on the Law of International Organizations. Oxford: OUP. [Details]
    2016 'Gasparini v Italy and Belgium, App. No. 10750/03, Admissibility Decision, European Court of Human Rights, 12 May 2009'
    Tobias Lock (2016) 'Gasparini v Italy and Belgium, App. No. 10750/03, Admissibility Decision, European Court of Human Rights, 12 May 2009' In: Cedric Ryngaert, Ige F Dekker, Ramses A Wessel, Jan Wouters (eds). Judicial Decisions on the Law of International Organizations. Oxford: OUP. [Details]
    2014 'Industrie-, Forschungs- und Entwicklungspolitik'
    Tobias Lock (2014) 'Industrie-, Forschungs- und Entwicklungspolitik' In: Bernhard W. Wegener (eds). Europäische Querschnittpolitiken. Baden-Baden: Nomos. [Details]
    2012 'Accession of the EU to the ECHR Who Would Be Responsible in Strasbourg?'
    Tobias Lock (2012) 'Accession of the EU to the ECHR Who Would Be Responsible in Strasbourg?' In: Diamond Ashiagbor, Nicola Countouris, Ioannis Lianos (eds). The European Union after the Treaty of Lisbon. Cambridge: CUP. [Details]
    2012 'Of Crucifixes and Headscarves Religious Symbols in German Schools'
    Tobias Lock (2012) 'Of Crucifixes and Headscarves Religious Symbols in German Schools' In: Myriam Hunter-Henin (eds). Law, Religious Freedoms and Education in Europe. Farnham: Ashgate. [Details]

    Edited Books

      Year Publication
    2014 Human Rights Law in Europe: The Influence, Overlaps and Contradictions of the EU and the ECHR
    Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou; Theodore Konstadinides; Tobias Lock; Noreen O'Meara (Ed.). (2014) Human Rights Law in Europe: The Influence, Overlaps and Contradictions of the EU and the ECHR Abingdon: Routledge. [Details]

    Peer Reviewed Journals

      Year Publication
    2020 'Von Komplexität und politischem Kompromiss: das Austrittsabkommen zwischen der Europäischen Union und dem Vereinigten Königreich'
    Tobias Lock (2020) 'Von Komplexität und politischem Kompromiss: das Austrittsabkommen zwischen der Europäischen Union und dem Vereinigten Königreich'. Zeitschrift für Gesetzgebung, 35 (3):193-214 [Details]
    2019 'RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES IN THE EU CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS'
    Lock, T (2019) 'RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES IN THE EU CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS'. Common Market Law Review, 56 :1201-1226 [full-text] [Details]
    2017 'Human Rights Law in the UK after Brexit'
    Tobias Lock (2017) 'Human Rights Law in the UK after Brexit'. Public Law, (Brexit Special Extra):117-134 [full-text] [Details]
    2016 'The influence of EU law on Strasbourg doctrines'
    Tobias Lock (2016) 'The influence of EU law on Strasbourg doctrines'. European Law Review, 41 :804-825 [full-text] [Details]
    2016 'The EU Accession to the ECHR, by Vassiliki Kosta et al'
    Tobias Lock (2016) 'The EU Accession to the ECHR, by Vassiliki Kosta et al'. European Law Review, 41 [full-text] [Details]
    2015 'The future of the European Union’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights after Opinion 2/13: is it still possible and is it still desirable?'
    Tobias Lock (2015) 'The future of the European Union’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights after Opinion 2/13: is it still possible and is it still desirable?'. European Constitutional Law Review, 11 :239-273 [full-text] [Details]
    2013 'Are there Exceptions to a Member State's Duty to Comply with the Requirements of a Directive?'
    Tobias Lock (2013) 'Are there Exceptions to a Member State's Duty to Comply with the Requirements of a Directive?'. Common Market Law Review, 50 :217-230 [full-text] [Details]
    2013 'Religious Freedom and Belief Discrimination in Germany and the United Kingdom: Towards a Common European Standard?'
    Tobias Lock (2013) 'Religious Freedom and Belief Discrimination in Germany and the United Kingdom: Towards a Common European Standard?'. European Law Review, 38 :655-676 [full-text] [Details]
    2012 'End of an Epic?'
    Tobias Lock (2012) 'End of an Epic?'. The Yearbook of European Law, 31 :162-197 [full-text] [Details]
    2012 'Is Private Enforcement of EU Law through State Liability a Myth?: An Assessment 20 Years after Francovich'
    Tobias Lock (2012) 'Is Private Enforcement of EU Law through State Liability a Myth?: An Assessment 20 Years after Francovich'. Common Market Law Review, 49 :1675-1702 [full-text] [Details]
    2011 'Walking on a Tightrope: The Draft Accession Agreement and the Autonomy of the EU Legal Order'
    Tobias Lock (2011) 'Walking on a Tightrope: The Draft Accession Agreement and the Autonomy of the EU Legal Order'. Common Market Law Review, 48 :1025-1054 [full-text] [Details]
    2010 'Beyond Bosphorus: The European Court of Human Rights’ Case Law on the Responsibility of Member States of International Organisations under the European Convention on Human Rights'
    Tobias Lock (2010) 'Beyond Bosphorus: The European Court of Human Rights’ Case Law on the Responsibility of Member States of International Organisations under the European Convention on Human Rights'. Human Rights Law Review, 10 :529-545 [full-text] [Details]
    2010 'EU Accession to the ECHR: Implications for Judicial Review in Strasbourg'
    Tobias Lock (2010) 'EU Accession to the ECHR: Implications for Judicial Review in Strasbourg'. European Law Review, 35 :777-798 [full-text] [Details]
    2010 'Why the European Union is not a State: Some Critical Remarks'
    Tobias Lock (2010) 'Why the European Union is not a State: Some Critical Remarks'. European Constitutional Law Review, 5 :407-420 [full-text] [Details]
    2009 'The European Court of Justice: What are the Limits of European Jurisdiction?'
    Tobias Lock (2009) 'The European Court of Justice: What are the Limits of European Jurisdiction?'. Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, 16 :291-314 [Details]
    2009 'The ECJ and the ECtHR: The Future Relationship between the Two European Courts'
    Tobias Lock (2009) 'The ECJ and the ECtHR: The Future Relationship between the Two European Courts'. Law and Practice of International Courts and Tribunals, 8 :375-398 [full-text] [Details]
    2005 'Judging Nuremberg: The Laws, the Rallies, the Trials'
    Tobias Lock, Julia Riem (2005) 'Judging Nuremberg: The Laws, the Rallies, the Trials'. German Law Journal, 6 :1819-1832 [full-text] [Details]

    Other Journals

      Year Publication
    2017 'Brexit and Rights in EU Law'
    Emily Hancox, Tobias Lock, Nina Miller-Westoby (2017) 'Brexit and Rights in EU Law' Scottish Human Rights Journal, . [Details]
    2017 'Scotland’s place in Europe after Brexit: Between a rock and a hard place? A legal scoping exercise'
    Tobias Lock (2017) 'Scotland’s place in Europe after Brexit: Between a rock and a hard place? A legal scoping exercise' European Papers, 2 :183-200. [Details]
    2005 'Die Kleinen hängt man, die Großen lässt man laufen?: Berlusconi und Niselli – Ungleiche vor dem EuGH'
    Tobias Lock, Bernhard Wegener (2005) 'Die Kleinen hängt man, die Großen lässt man laufen?: Berlusconi und Niselli – Ungleiche vor dem EuGH' Europarecht, :802-808. [Details]

    Honours and Awards

      Year Title Awarding Body
    2018 British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award British Academy
    2020 Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights European Commission

    Languages

      Language Reading Writing Speaking
    German Fluent Fluent Fluent
    Spanish Basic Basic Basic
    Italian Basic Basic Basic
    French Fluent Functional Functional

    Consultancy

      Client Description
    Academic Advisory Panel to the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership (Scotland)
    Scottish Parliament
    Advisor to the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee
    Judicial Institute for Scotland
    Training sessions and training materials for the Scottish judiciary on post-Brexit legislation.

    Outreach Activities

      Description

    Written evidence on the on the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on accessing minimum wage levels

    Advisory Board Member Link

    Oral evidence to the Bill of Rights Ad Hoc Committee, Northern Ireland Assembly

    Reviews

      Journal Role
    European Human Rights Law Review Member of the Editorial Board

    Other Activities

      Description

    I am a member of the ARINS advisory group. More information here: https://www.ria.ie/arins/about-arins-analysing-and-researching-ireland-north-and-south