NIPC Law

Jane Lambert A rather more interesting Brexit Briefing this month  because the UK has ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement.  The article sets out the background to ratification and considers whether it will make a difference.  Also discussed are the proposals to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and indications that HMG will accept the backstop arrangements for birder checks between Great Britain and both parts of the island of Ireland set out in the draft withdrawal agreement notwithstanding political and constitutional challenges to which that could lead. Finally, there is the agenda for discussions on the future partnership between the UK and EU after Brexit which would include services and some encouraging remarks about the city of London from Monsieur Barnier at the Eurofi High Level Seminar in Sofia on 26 April 2018. More

Standard YouTube Licence Jane Lambert March's Brexit Briefing  which I published today in NIPC Brexit discussed the draft withdrawal agreement  contemplated by art 50 (2) and the guidelines for negptiations on the future relationship between the UK and EU provided by the European Council  and the European Parliament . While welcoming the progress that has been made to date I warn that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and that there are plenty of things that can go wrong between now and Brexit day/  It is quite possible that the EU treaties will fall away on 29 March 2019 without anything taking their place.  Even though the government has assured them of a period of stability between that day and 31 Dec 2020, my advice to businesses on both sides of the English Channel and Irish border is to continue to plan for the worst (that is to say, no agreement at all) as well as hoping for the best. Anyone wishing to discuss this article or Brexit ge...