Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussion he has had with his EU counterparts on the future status of UK citizens working in EU (a) institutions, (b) bodies and (c) agencies after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Suella Braverman
I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the answer I gave him in response to PQ139985.
In addition to the recent European Commission decision regarding aspects of the post-exit employment status of UK staff.
(available online: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/10061/2018/EN/PV-2018-2249-F1-EN-MAIN-PART-1.PDF))
A number of other EU institutions have made similar decisions. The Government welcomes this and hopes that other EU institutions, agencies and bodies will follow suit to provide consistency of treatment of UK nationals working across the EU institutions.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the maintenance of access to courts in EU countries for UK victims of consumer fraud resident in those countries after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
There have been no conversations between the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and his European counterparts on this specific subject, because there is no reason why access to a Member State’s courts for individuals resident in that country would change after our exit from the EU.
However, as stated in the Government’s White Paper on the Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union published on 12 July, the UK is keen to explore a new bilateral agreement with the EU on civil judicial cooperation. This would cover a coherent package of rules on jurisdiction, applicable law, and recognition and enforcement of judgments. This would mean that, when buying cross-border, consumers could continue to be confident that if they have a dispute they can bring a claim in their own country’s courts, regardless of where the supplier is based, and that the resulting judgment would be enforceable.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on future market access for UK members of the legal profession to (a) provide services and (b) attend courts in EU countries after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have been having regular discussions with the EU on the Future Framework, outlining our positions on a wide range of topics covering the future economic partnership and the future security partnership. Over the coming weeks and months, we expect to see our negotiations on the Future Framework accelerate and intensify.
The Government has published a White Paper setting out a clear proposal for the future relationship we want to build with the European Union, including our position on future market access for services. In addition to the general provisions that will minimise barriers to cross-border service provision and establishment, we are proposing supplementary measures for legal services. This will include permitting joint practice between UK and EU lawyers. UK lawyers will also be supported by our proposals for comprehensive arrangements on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. This proposal is a responsible and credible basis for moving our negotiations with the EU forward to achieve a deal that works in our mutual interest.
We have also made significant progress in discussions with the EU on the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. We have agreed the continued recognition of qualifications for residents and frontier workers, where recognition decisions were received or where recognition procedures were ongoing, before the end of the implementation period. This includes qualifications recognised under the MRPQ directive and lawyers practising under host title.
We have also agreed under the Withdrawal Agreement how the UK would withdraw from the EU rules on civil judicial cooperation at the end of the Implementation Period. We fully expect however that we will reach agreement with the EU on a future relationship, and in the White Paper we have set out how we want to explore a new, mutually beneficial bilateral agreement with the EU on civil judicial cooperation. This would support a range of cross-border activity, including trade in goods and services, plus some non-commercial activities.
We will not provide a running commentary on our negotiations with the EU, but will continue to update Parliament on our progress when appropriate.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the EU upholds the commitments it has made on UK nationals living in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Prime Minister has been clear that safeguarding the rights of UK nationals living in the EU, and EU citizens living in the UK, was her first priority for negotiations.
We have reached an agreement with the EU on the rights of UK nationals in the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, which we have drafted into legal text. The agreement confirms that any UK national resident in the EU by December 2020 will be able to continue living their lives broadly as they do now in their Member State of residence.
It will be for each Member State to determine how they will implement these rights for UK nationals but the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement will ensure any new arrangements for UK nationals are transparent, smooth and streamlined. We would like all Member States to start to put plans in place to secure the status of UK nationals in the EU, and we will continue to seek details on their progress so that we can inform UK nationals.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the effect of the terms of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, published in March 2018 on market access in the EU for UK lawyers.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have made rapid progress on the details of the Withdrawal Agreement and reached agreement on much of the legal text, including on citizens’ rights. As part of this, we have agreed to continue recognising qualifications for residents and frontier workers if their qualifications have been recognised, or are in the process of being recognised, before the end of the implementation period. This includes lawyers practising under host state titles.
There are a number of issues which the Commission deemed to be outside the scope of the negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement, including important rights such as home title practise for lawyers. Talks on these areas will continue in our negotiations with the EU on the future economic partnership.
The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. The Government is examining all areas of the UK economy, including legal services, and seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts about the effect of the UK leaving the EU on UK citizens employed by EU (a) institutions, (b) bodies and (c) agencies.
Answered by Suella Braverman
The Government recognises the contribution that EU staff with UK nationality make in supporting the work of the EU institutions, agencies and bodies. We are aware of the concerns of UK nationals regarding the security of their careers, and we do not want those working for the EU to be disadvantaged as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Ultimately, it is for the EU to decide their employment practices.
The Government welcomes the recent announcement by the European Commission with regard to officials with UK nationality on aspects of their employment status post-exit. This is available online: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/10061/2018/EN/PV-2018-2249-F1-EN-MAIN-PART-1.PDF.
We hope that other EU institutions, agencies and bodies will follow suit to provide consistency of treatment of UK nationals working across the EU institutions.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implementation of European Court of Justice judgments during the implementation period after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Suella Braverman
We have agreed with the EU that for the implementation period, we will continue to use the existing EU mechanisms for supervision and enforcement - and we will continue to follow Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgments. This is necessary so that there is only one set of changes for businesses and people. This does not change the fact that in the long term, outside of the EU, the UK will no longer be under the direct jurisdiction of the CJEU.
We have also agreed that the Withdrawal Agreement will establish a new Joint Committee through which both parties will be able to discuss and resolve any concerns that arise during the implementation period. It will, for example, provide the UK with a means to raise concerns regarding new laws, which we consider might be harmful to our interests. This will help ensure the implementation period operates smoothly, allowing us to resolve any issues promptly.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he has held discussions with other Ministers on the process by which EU regulations and directives will enter into force during the implementation period after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
We regularly engage with Ministers on EU exit, including on the agreement on the implementation period. The Government does not comment on internal discussions with Ministers.
The UK and the EU agreed in March, in the draft Withdrawal Agreement that, in most areas, EU law will continue to have the same legal effects in the UK as now during the implementation period, in order to provide continuity and certainty to businesses and citizens.
The Government has been clear that the Withdrawal Agreement & Implementation Bill will be used to implement the major elements of the Withdrawal Agreement in domestic law.
In order to ensure that the UK’s interests are protected during the implementation period, a Joint Committee will be established to provide the UK with a means to raise concerns regarding new laws, which we consider might be harmful to our interests. We have also agreed that the whole Withdrawal Agreement will be subject to an article of good faith, ensuring that both sides support each other in delivering the agreement.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with (a) pharmaceutical and (b) aerospace industry representatives in Northern Ireland on licencing in trade talks with the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
Ministers from across Government have carried out extensive engagement on EU exit - with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy and in all parts of the UK, including organisations from the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries.
Details of Ministerial meetings are published in the Department’s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are publicly available on GOV.UK.