UK Strengthens Legal Ties with Europe at Rule of Law Summit
The United Kingdom has reasserted its support for the international legal order in a major step indicating its post-Brexit interest in cooperating with the EU by hosting a high-level meeting together with its European partners. The event took place in July 2025, in London and was hosted by the Attorney General Office (AGO) in partnership with Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Bingham Centre of the Rule of Law.
This main flagship event is a signal of a new diplomatic thrust, by the UK to the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission, who is an authoritative body related to constitutional matters. As the world experiences issues such as artificial intelligence, forced migration, and environmental instability, the meeting put into the spotlight the importance of legal frameworks to secure international cooperation, responsibility and human rights preservation.
A New Chapter in UK-Europe Legal Engagement
Legal professionals, civil society organisations, and the representatives of the member states of Venice Commission attended the event. The summit held in the UK is considered a deliberate action to regain a foothold of the country in the area of European legal networks when geopolitical risks are challenging the strength of multilateral institutions.
The platform was used by the then Attorney General Lord Hermer KC to promote greater cooperation between countries regarding law norms. He admitted that the idea of the rule of law is currently under pressure all over the world, yet stressed that legal tools, like the Rule of Law Checklist which is a framework developed by the Venice Commission could be the language of nations that can step forward in the 21st century challenges.
“These are not just abstract ideals. These are the very pillars of prosperity, security and individual freedom, as Lord Hermer said, and he has again re-enforced the practical significance of these principles to governance of the world.
The revision of the Rule of Law Checklist that was initially adopted by the Venice Commission to assess compliance with fundamental democratic principles was one of the major issues discussed during the event. The checklist has gained prominence in recent years, particularly among countries seeking to benchmark legal and institutional reforms.
Participants discussed proposed updates to the checklist, with emphasis on modern concerns including:
- Algorithmic bias and legal accountability in artificial intelligence
- Migrant rights in an era of shifting borders
- Climate-related displacement and the legal responsibilities of states
The occasion was also the 35th birthday of the Venice Commission. Created in 1990, the commission has become a credible organization to advance democratic constitutionalism in Europe, and worldwide.
Global Relevance and Practical Impact
Minister Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister of Multilateral and Human Rights, was echoing these views, saying the rule of law was not merely a legal construct but was a fundamental component of trust and authority among the general population.
To make democratic systems sustainable, we have to clarify the relevance of these systems in the real world. The law needs to do not just what is just but to be seen to do so, he noted.
He also noted the way the new checklist will assist in strengthening important links among democracy, rights and legal system integrity at the international level.
The meeting is happening against a growing political polarisation, both in Europe, as well as world-wide. The UK re-entering such legal arenas is the sign of a change towards a re-engagement in a diplomatic sense, but also a practical one, of cooperative legal tools.
In its quest to show that its decision on leaving the European Union has not affected its commitments to partnership and collaborations in Europe of shared values, the UK is placing a strong push to update common law standards and keep the country firmly in the center of the European legal discourse.
This occurrence can also be set as an example to act upon during the future UK-European legal cooperation where there is a way out on the incorporation of the rule-of-law cooperation that does not rely on the political union but is based on the common obligations upon democracy.
