While the corona crisis is first and foremost on everyone’s minds, negotiations on the United Kingdom’s departure (‘Brexit’) from the European Union are still ongoing. Despite the obvious need for European cooperation in the response to COVID-19, the Johnson government is determined to end the current transition period by December 31st, 2020. One of the many aspects of the negotiations is whether the UK will remain part of the EU’s regime on jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil cases. According to the Financial Times, the European Commission has advised the Member States to reject the UK request to remain within that regime through accession to the Lugano Convention. This blog will set out the core rules of the Lugano regime, its impact on UK private international law and the forum non conveniens doctrine in particular, and reasons why the UK could or could not join the Lugano Convention. Lees verder →