International law Archives

Research Briefing

Brexit: the October negotiations

Friday, 27 October, 2017

What happened in round five of the Brexit negotiations - the last scheduled round in phase one? Did the EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the other 27 EU Member State leaders think "sufficient progress" had been made in the priority areas to move on to a discussion of the UK's future relations with the EU? And what about a transition period or the possibility of a 'no deal' scenario? Has the Government planned for this? This note looks at what happened in the October round and other Brexit issues.
Research Briefing

Brexit: the September negotiations

Friday, 06 October, 2017

What happened at the fourth round of Brexit negotiations from 25 to 28 September 2017? And what did Theresa May say that was so important in her speech in Florence on 22 September? Have discussions progressed sufficiently to move on to a negotiation of the UK's future trade and other relations with the EU? The EU thinks not; the UK is impatient to move on. This is what happened ...
Research Briefing

North Korea: August 2017 update

Wednesday, 30 August, 2017

Tensions have risen alarmingly in the Korean peninsula during the course of 2017. North Korea appears to be making faster progress towards having a nuclear weapons system that can reach the US than many observers expected. What have been the responses of the US, China, South Korea and Japan to developments since the beginning of this year?
Debate Pack

International Day of Democracy

Tuesday, 29 August, 2017

This page has been prepared for the debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 6 September 2017 from 2.30pm to 4.00pm on the ‘International Day of Democracy’. The debate has been initiated by Stuart C. McDonald MP.
Research Briefing

Brexit: the July negotiations

Wednesday, 02 August, 2017

What happened at the second round of Brexit negotiations from 17 to 20 July 2017 and what have we learnt? This first phase of the negotiations aims to reach agreement on citizens' rights, the financial settlement and the border between Ireland the Northern Ireland, as well as other separation issues, such as Euratom, EU external agreements and dispute resolution. But there was little evidence of agreement on any of these, and the UK Government has been asked for more clarification at the next round. A lot is at stake, because if sufficient progress isn't made by October, the negotiations will not move on to future relations, an EU-UK trade agreement or transitional arrangements.
Research Briefing

What is the Council of Europe?

Thursday, 27 July, 2017

This Commons Library briefing gives a short introduction to the 47-member Council of Europe, which is a human rights and democracy organisation, entirely separate from the EU. Its best-known products are the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights that oversees how the Convention is implemented.
Research Briefing

Brexit Negotiations: The Irish border question

Monday, 17 July, 2017

The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and how it will operate, is one of the three main areas of discussion in the first phase of Brexit negotiations . This paper sets out the different UK and EU negotiating positions as well as how they both pledge to honour the Good Friday Agreement, and what this pledge commits both sides to. It looks at how the Northern Irish devolved government is inputting into the talks, and how the confidence and supply deal between the Conservative party and the DUP might impact on the negotiations. This paper explores how people will move between the two countries, and how the Common Travel Area might be maintained. It also looks at the complexities of avoiding a 'hard border', the stated position of both the EU and the UK, while still adhering to EU rules on moving goods between itself and countries outside the Single Market and Customs Union.
Debate Pack

Exiting the EU and sanctions

Monday, 17 July, 2017

This Debate Pack has been prepared for the general debate on 'Exiting the European Union and sanctions', to be held in the main chamber on Wednesday 19 July 2017
Research Briefing

Brexit: the talks begin

Wednesday, 12 July, 2017

The Brexit negotiations: what, when and how? This paper looks at the agenda and timetable for the first phase of talks, who is involved on the EU and UK sides, what they will be discussing and what positions - if any - they have taken so far.
Research Briefing

Brexit: red lines and starting principles

Thursday, 22 June, 2017

What has the UK Government said about its strategy for the Brexit negotiations? The Prime Minister and the Brexit Secretary have set out their views in speeches and white papers, and now the EU institutions have set out theirs. They often coincide, but there are areas that could be difficult to resolve. This paper summarises the starting points of the UK and the EU institutions at the beginning of the Article 50 process.
Research Briefing

EU Agencies and post-Brexit options

Friday, 28 April, 2017

What are EU agencies and what do they do? Will the UK be able to participate in their activities after Brexit? And what will happen to the two that are based in the UK? This paper looks at the roles and functions of EU agencies, the issues surrounding the two UK-based agencies, and whether there are options for continued UK participation after Brexit.
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Research Briefing

Legislating for Brexit: EU directives

Wednesday, 05 April, 2017

What are EU directives and what will happen to them when the UK leaves the EU? This paper looks at EU directives in force and how they are implemented in the UK. This will give some idea of the task ahead for UK legislators.
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Research Briefing

The UK’s Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Council

Wednesday, 22 March, 2017

In May 2017 the UK will have its third regular human rights review by a group of other UN States, who will make recommendations under the UN’s ‘Universal Periodic Review’ (UPR) process. This Commons Library briefing paper provides a brief overview.
Research Briefing

European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill: analysis of Lords’ amendments

Friday, 10 March, 2017

This Commons Library briefing analyses the Lords’ new clauses on EU/EEA citizens in the UK and on a ‘meaningful vote’ at the end of the negotiations, for the Bill's return to the Commons.
Research Briefing

Parliament’s role in ratifying treaties

Friday, 17 February, 2017

Parliament now has a statutory role in ratifying treaties. As this Commons Library briefing paper explains, the Government must lay most treaties before Parliament for 21 sitting days before it can ratify them, and the Commons can block ratification indefinitely. However, there is no statutory requirement for a debate or vote, and parliament cannot amend treaties.

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