The Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS), Centre for Public Law (CPL) and the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law (LCIL) warmly invite you to an online Rapid Response Seminar on the UK Internal Market Bill.

The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21 was introduced on 9 September 2020 and contained what observers have called constitutional dynamite and the newspapers described as ‘Britannia waives the rules.’ Ministers have alternatively called it ‘his does break international law in a specific and limited way’ or justified it as a reaction to a material breach by the EU to the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland/Ireland Protocol. A detailed provision authorising Ministers (possibly with consent of Parliament) to breach international law and preventing access to the courts is unprecedented.

The three Research Centres of the Faculty of Law have joined forces to analyse three aspects of the UK Internal Market Bill in a rapid response seminar. Experts on EU law, international law and public law will jointly discuss different aspects of the introduction, passage and potential consequences of the Bill. While the content of the Bill and the rules governing the internal market are equally controversial, these will be discussed in detail in November during an academic CELS seminar. The rapid response given by members of the three research centres is designed to bring different legal perspectives together and provide expert opinions on this new legislation from diverse points of view. It will allow enough time for an online Q&A, so please submit your questions through the chat.

Welcome – UK Internal Market Bill Rapid Response Seminar (5 min)
Professor Mark Elliot (for the Faculty of Law)
Professor Alison Young (for the Centre for Public Law)
Professor Catherine Barnard (for CELS)
Dr Lorand Bartels (for the LCIL)

Panel 1 – The Withdrawal Agreement, the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Withdrawal Agreement Act (Special status of EU law, international law in UK domestic law, why are state aid and customs checks a problem for the UK internal market?) (25 min)
Chair: Dr Gehring
Dr Bartels– International law
Professor Barnard – EU law
Dr Steinfeld – Public law

Panel 2 – The breach of an international treaty, the rule of law and sovereignty of Parliament (Is there a breach, does it matter, does the Ministerial Code prevent it, why are the devolved administrations concerned?) (25 min)
Chair: Dr Hinarejos
Dr Bartels – International law
Dr Gehring – EU law
Professor Young – Public law

Panel 3 – Consequences of breaches in international law, reactions by the EU, ongoing trade negotiations and dispute settlement (Analysis of the statements by the Cabinet Office and the EU Commission and EU Parliament, US politicians?) (25 min)
Chair: Professor Barnard
Dr Bartels – International Law
Professor Armstrong – EU Law
Professor Young – Public law

Questions and Answers (30 min)

This entry provides an audio source.