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How can business benefit from the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement? Opportunities and Challenges

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement was hailed as the resolution to the long-running negotiations between Britain and the EU just before Christmas. But how should my business be using it? Is it as effective as businesses would like in the key areas that affect them? How can my business seize any opportunities?

These questions and many more are at the front of our minds as everyone tries to work out what the Agreement really means.

We are delighted to welcome two eminent experts in the field to a Forum on how business can deal with the Agreement, Catherine Barnard from Cambridge University and Paul Taylor from the Department for International Trade at the British Embassy in Paris. They will cover the key aspects of the Agreement, but above all we hope to cover those issues your business is facing and answer your questions. When you register, you will be invited to let us know what topics interest you and what your questions are. There will also be the opportunity to ask your questions during the Forum.

Catherine Barnard

Catherine Barnard is Professor of EU law and Employment Law and senior tutor and fellow of Trinity College.  She is the author of EU Employment Law (Oxford, OUP, 2012, 5th ed.), The Substantive Law of the EU: The Four Freedoms, (Oxford, OUP, 2016, 5th ed), and (with Peers ed), European Union Law (Oxford, OUP, 2017, 2nd ed) . She is currently a Senior Fellow in the UK in a Changing Europe (http://ukandeu.ac.uk/) project. This is an authoritative, non-partisan think tank which does research and provides information about all aspects of Brexit. Part of its remit is to make that information accessible to the general public. So it does a lot of public engagement, especially with the media.  She has appeared extensively on the main media channels – BBC, ITV and Sky – as well as some of the more specialist programmes such as Law in Action, Woman’s Hour and the Briefing Room. She has also written for the Guardian and the Telegraph. She has given evidence to numerous select committees on the legal issues connected with Brexit, immigration and the European Union (Withdrawal) Act.

Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor took up the role of Chief Operating Officer, Department for International Trade, at the British Embassy in Paris in May 2016. Immediately prior to his arrival in France, Paul spent five years in Prague as Regional Director for Trade & Investment with Central and South Eastern Europe. Paul’s Government career encompasses both the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Trade. Previous responsibilities in Whitehall include managing bilateral relations with South America and, subsequently, the Middle East & North Africa; while other overseas experience includes diplomatic postings to the British Embassies in Mexico City, Santiago and Madrid.