Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to ensure the equity of treatment of Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys across the UK and EU after the transition period; and whether he plans to ensure that attorneys from the EU do not have rights of representation before the UK Intellectual Property Office that are not reciprocated for UK attorneys before the EU Intellectual Property Office.

On legal services, the UK’s starting point for negotiations with the EU is precedent-based. We aim to secure market access commitments for lawyers and minimise barriers to the cross-border supply of services and investment, on the basis of commitments like those in the Canada FTA.

Rights of representation, whether before domestic courts in Member States or EU institutions, are the preserve of the Single Market and so do not form part of the UK approach to negotiations with the EU.

Officials at the Intellectual Property Office are currently exploring options in relation to the rules on address for service once the transition period ends.