b'Table 64 Leading countriesof the world using EnglishCommonLaw by GDP CountryGDP in billions of US $ United States$18,560 UK$2,788 India$8,721 Canada$1,674 Australia$1,189 Pakistan$988 Malaysia$863 SouthAfrica$736 Singapore$486 Hong Kong$427 Ireland$324Source: CIA World Factbook 2016 6.1. The threat to UK legal services from the EU However, there is a major threat overhangingStockholm Programme has come fully into the UKs success story in legal services.force in all its aspects.The EU wants to create EU commercialHis amendment was easily defeated 27-1, laws and an EU Commercial Court in thewiththree BritishConservative MEPs and cause of harmonisation.It is intendedone Labour MEP voting with the 27. that EU laws and the EU Commercial Court will be established, not in competition withThe Law Society and the Bar Council, as well national jurisdictions, but as compulsoryas leading London firms of solicitors, seem to replacements. It is becoming clear thatsee no threat from the EU to their position. It the EU threatens the UKs position inis high time they admitted their failures. international legal services as much as it threatens the UKs equivalent position inConclusionfinancial services. There is an obvious conclusion to the In 2010, the author tabled the followingevidence set out above. The 1960s and amendment at the International Trade1970s were full of bad choices: the Decca Committee of the European Parliament:record label turned down the Beatles, the Calls on the Commission to confirm thatFootball Association sacked Sir Alf Ramsey, contracting parties to commercial and alland the USA decided to give military other agreements, including specificallyassistance to Vietnam. Arguably as bad a international trade agreements, will continuechoice as any of these, was that then Prime to have the absolute right to write into anMinister Edward Heath took the UK into the agreement the legal jurisdiction competentCommon Market, the predecessor to the to settle any dispute, including after theEuropean Union.147'