To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that (1) EU nationals can still access legal services in the UK once the Brexit transition period ends, and (2) British nationals can access legal services in the EU.
Answered on
13 November 2020
The government recognises that citizens and businesses in both the UK and EU Member States rely on the expertise, experience and scale of supply that lawyers currently provide.
The government is seeking to negotiate reciprocal sector-specific provisions in the UK-EU Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement which would allow UK lawyers to provide legal advice on UK and International law in EU member states under their UK legal title on a temporary or permanent basis. These provisions remain subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU. UK lawyers will be subject to each EU Member State’s domestic framework which regulates provision of legal services. The government has posted guidance online at gov.uk and will be updating this once negotiations have concluded.
EU lawyers practising in the UK will no longer be able to provide regulated services under their home state professional title, although they can still become solicitors and barristers through existing transfer tests that are open to all foreign lawyers. The government has signposted on gov.uk that EU lawyers should speak to UK regulators for further information.