CETA Opinion from the CJEU

The Brussels Office of the UK Law Societies and Flinn Law firm held a panel discussion Tuesday morning, 14 May, about the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) Opinion (delivered on 30th April) regarding the CETA Investment Court System (ICS) and the autonomy of EU Law. In the Court’s Opinion the CETA Investment Court System is compatible with EU law and respects the exclusive jurisdiction of the CJEU to interpret EU law.

The panel discussion, held under Chatham House rules, considered the CJEU’s Opinions on the autonomy of EU law, respect for equal treatment and access to justice. It considered the implications of the confirmations of the ICS mechanism for other EU Free Trade Agreements (including with Singapore and Vietnam) and the future development of a multilateral investment court (MIC). Leonard Hawkes, FLINN, chaired the meeting.

The discussants were: Colin Brown, Deputy Head of Unit, Dispute Settlement and Legal Aspects of Trade Policy, DG TRADE, European Commission; Nicolas Angelet, Professor of Public International law at ULB, Arbitrator and Public International Law counsel; and Emily Hay, Hanotiau & Van Den Berg, counsel, tribunal secretary and assistant to the tribunal in international commercial and investment arbitrations.