Last week’s UK-EU summit in Brussels had been billed as “crunch time” for a future trade agreement to be reached between the UK and EU in time for any deal to be ratified before the end of the transition period, which expires on 31 December 2020.

There are many consequences of no agreement being reached. One consequence of legal significance is that court proceedings commenced after 31 December 2020 will no longer benefit from EU rules providing for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments, and a streamlined process for enforcement, pursuant to the so-called Recast Brussels Regulation 1215/2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (the “Regulation“). This is important because without the Regulation, enforcing UK judgments in EU jurisdictions, and vice versa, is likely to be a more cumbersome and uncertain process, and therefore more time-consuming and expensive.…

Continue Reading No-deal Brexit – Enforcement of judgments in the UK or EU member states