European Committee

Executive: Evanna Fruithof

Co-Chair: Kieron Beal KC - Blackstone Chambers 

Co-Chair: Anneli Howard – Monckton Chambers

Vice-Chair:  Daniel Lloyd - TLT LLP

Vice-Chair: John Ratliff - Henderson Chambers

Members:

Adrian Berry KC  – Garden Court Chambers

Michael Bowsher - Monckton Chambers

Alexandria Carr - IBDE

Katy Chokowry - 1 Kings Bench Walk 

Celina Colquhoun - 39 Essex St Chambers

Beth Collett - 8 New Square 

Nicholas Khan - Monckton Chambers

Hugh Mercer KC– Essex Court Chambers

Gordon Nardell KC– 20 Essex Street

David Scannell KC– Brick Court Chambers

Jessica Simor KC– Matrix Chambers

Rhodri Thompson KC– Matrix Chambers

Rhodri Williams KC– Henderson Chambers

Stefan Hyman – 9 Bedford Row Chambers

Timothy Manley – Government Legal Department

Anna Medvinskaia – Gough Square Chambers

Alastair Sutton – Brick Court Chambers

 

The terms of reference of the Committee are:


a. To monitor and address key legal issues emanating from organisations such as the European Union (“EU”), the Council of Europe, the European Free Trade Association (“EFTA”) and the Hague Conference, including relevant policy and legislative proposals from their institutions;

b. To monitor and address relevant legal issues arising in relation to retained EU law, the Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement [with the exception of matters relating to trade in legal services which are within the remit of the International Committee and will therefore revert thereto once the Future Relations Working Group (“FRWG”) (or its successor as the case may be) is disbanded];

c. To co-ordinate responses to policy issues and consultative documents, to liaise with the relevant Specialist Bar Associations, circuits and Bar Council committees on such issues, domestic and international, and to make representations to the appropriate authorities;

d. To support the strategic aims of the Bar Council, as published.

European Committee working group

Retained EU law working group
Chair: George Peretz KC

This working group was formed in February 2022 to monitor and address key legal issues arising in relation to:

  1. the interpretation and application of retained EU law
  2. the revision of the substance or status of EU law
  3. the process of revision of retained EU law, with specific reference to questions of accountability, scrutiny and engagement

The working group coordinates, as necessary, with relevant Specialist Bar Associations, Bar Council committees and external stakeholders.

Trade and Cooperation Agreement Working Group

Chair Andrew Walker KC

The purpose of this Working Group

To manage and coordinate the ongoing work the Bar faces in dealing with

(i) TCA and Withdrawal Act implementation issues, including feeding views into the various TCA governance bodies, among them the UK DAG (its sub-groups) and the CSF, all charged with overseeing Part Two TCA (Trade); and

(ii) Preparations for and contributions to the upcoming reviews of the TCA, due to take place by the fifth anniversary of its entry into force, in 2026.

View current committee vacancies and find out how to apply