Tim Ellemann is a first-year PhD researcher hailing from Germany with a wealth of teaching experience. After his studies in Law at the University of Passau where he passed the 'First State Examination' (1. Staatsexamen), he started working as a research and teaching assistant alongside Professor Dr. Christoph Herrmann, a distinguished EUI Jean Monnet Alumnus, at the 'Chair for Constitutional and Administrative Law, European Law, European and International Economic Law'. Aside from collaborating on multiple publications, Tim undertook the responsibility of teaching tutorials on German constitutional and European law, coaching the university’s moot court team in the 'FDI Moot Court', and participating actively in the ELSA European Human Rights Moot Court and the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court. Tim ventured also beyond the academic world gaining hands-on experience through internships with international law firms in Brussels and Frankfurt.
Fascinated by the role law plays in organising, structuring, and shaping a society, Tim committed himself to understanding law as a transformative social phenomenon and to equip himself with the tools to critically analyse it. Drawn to the EUI for its unparalleled academic excellence, Tim was particularly impressed by the Institute's holistic approach, integrating international and interdisciplinary perspectives. The meticulous structure of the PhD programme at the EUI Law Department, emphasising academic writing, presentation skills, and methodologies, sealed his decision to embark on his research journey here.
Tim's research is centred on European and international economic law in the context of rising geopolitical tensions. His thesis explores how fears of technology transfers and supply chain dependencies vis-à-vis China have led the US and the EU to contemplate restricting outbound investment for national security concerns. Situating this within broader trends, Tim argues that such outbound investment screenings are part of a wider trend towards restricting international trade for reasons such as climate change, human rights, and industrial policy – increasingly regarded as security issues.
Combining security studies and a doctrinal analysis of European and international economic law, Tim hopes to contribute to a deeper understanding of the pivotal role law plays in times of heightened geopolitical tensions. Professionally, Tim envisions a future in legal academia, integrating comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives with a continued focus on strong doctrinal analyses. The EUI, with its vibrant international research environment, provides the ideal environment to encourage his academic ambitions.
Away from the academic world, Tim loves road cycling, long-distance running, and cooking — with a special emphasis on Mediterranean cuisine (what better place than Florence to hone this skill!). An avid reader, his weekends are often reserved for natural sciences, psychology, and the thrill of horror novels.
Join the Law Department in extending a warm welcome to Tim. We are confident that he will be a valuable addition to our academic family.