Legal profession: Qualifications

(asked on 6th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the loss of mutual recognition of qualifications within the EU on the UK legal services industry.


Answered by
Alex Chalk Portrait
Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
This question was answered on 14th January 2021

Under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK and the EU have agreed a framework under which both parties may agree arrangements on the recognition of professional qualifications, such as mutual recognition agreements. While frameworks like this are conventional practice in free trade agreements, the Government successfully negotiated improvements to those agreements, which are designed to make the system more flexible and easier for regulatory authorities, including those within the legal services sector, to use, should they wish.

It is possible that some UK legal services regulatory authorities, professional bodies or associations might also seek to conclude other agreements with EU counterparts outside of this framework.

The Government will continue to provide help and guidance to UK regulatory authorities and professional bodies on issues of mutual recognition of professional qualifications. As of 1 January 2021, UK-qualified professionals in the legal services sector who wish to supply services in the EU should seek recognition of their qualifications according to the local laws and regulations of individual Member States.

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