The legal system in the UK is significantly different from that of most legal systems in the EU and other countries, and it is therefore crucial to know and understand the differences to enable smooth cooperation. Furthermore, since 1 January 2021, a new legal regime between the EU and UK, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, became applicable. This implied some relevant changes in different fields of judicial cooperation in criminal matters, such as mutual legal assistance (MLA). In addition, the MLA form, which was created in accordance with Article 635 of the TCA, became mandatory as of 1 September 2023 for all MLA requests to and from the UK, in relation to EU Member States.

During this two-day meeting, practitioners were brought together to learn more about how to effectively and efficiently deal with requests for MLA involving the UK. Presentations were provided to familiarise practitioners with the MLA form and to introduce the online digital portal for submitting MLA requests to the UK. Issues in relation to the use of the form were discussed and clarified. Additionally, tips and best practices were shared to further strengthen cooperation between the EU and the UK.