Dr Holger Hestermeyer examines key Brexit documents
The Exiting the European Union Committee of the House of Commons held an evidence session on the draft Withdrawal Agreement on 21 November.
Dr Holger Hestermeyer, who is Shell Reader in International Dispute Resolution in The Dickson Poon School of Law and currently Mid-career Fellow at the British Academy, was called upon as an expert witness to help the committee in its examination of the key document.
The Committee examined the draft Withdrawal Agreement and outline Political Declaration on the Future Relationship, which were published on 14 November. The Committee focused on the overall agreement reached by the negotiating teams, as well as specific issues such as the backstop protocol, ‘level playing field’ provisions and dispute resolution mechanisms. The Committee also considered the UK and EU perspectives on the future relationship negotiations, and the possibility of extending the transition period beyond December 2020.
‘Any international agreement involves trade-offs: do you want to simplify trade and have frictionless borders? Or would you prefer not to be bound internationally? You can choose what balance you want, but you cannot have both’ said Dr Hestermeyer.
Dr Hestermeyer works in the areas of international law, European law, constitutional and public law. He has served as specialist advisor to the House of Lords EU External Affairs Sub-Committee for its reports on trade options and trade in goods after Brexit. In the past, he has, amongst others, worked as a clerk (Référendaire) at the Court of Justice of the European Union and served as Co-executive Vice President of the Society of International Economic Law.