European Commission Recommends Blocking UK Bid to Join Cross-Border Disputes Agreement

Following the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, the European Commission does not want to see the U.K. join the bloc's 2007 Lugano Convention -- a pact that recognizes jurisdiction and enforcement of judgment in civil and commercial matters. In a May 4 communication from the EC to the European Parliament and Council, the commission said the Lugano Convention is meant for the internal market of the EU. and because the U.K. is now a “third party without a special link to the internal market,” it does not warrant access to the convention. In its stead, the commission recommends taking the normal course of action in recognizing jurisdiction with Britain and following the framework laid out by the Hague Conventions in the field of civil judicial cooperation.