Professor Dr Rafael Leal-Arcas, Jean Monnet Chair in EU International Economic Law at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), organized and chaired a workshop titled “Moving on from Mansion House: ‘Docking’ the post-Brexit framework,” held at Queen Mary University of London, London, UK on 21 March 2018. The invited speaker was EFTA Court Judge Professor Baudenbacher.
Professor Dr Dr h.c. Carl Baudenbacher, Senior Judge, and former President of the EFTA Court
Professor Dr Rafael Leal-Arcas, Jean Monnet Chaired Professor of EU International Economic Law
In her Mansion House speech, Prime Minister Theresa May set as her first Brexit test that “the agreement we reach with the EU must respect the referendum. It was a vote to take control of our borders, laws and money… But it was not a vote for a distant relationship with our neighbours.’ The Prime Minister stated that ‘the jurisdiction of the ECJ in the UK must end’ and noted ‘that the ultimate arbiter of disputes about our future partnership cannot be the court of either party.’ How should disputes between the UK and EU be settled in the future? Should individuals and companies have access to a non-British court of law? Possible solutions would be for the UK to join the EEA Agreement on the EFTA side, or, in particular, to dock to the EFTA Court.