EU executive seeks bar on Britain from cross-border disputes accord

FILE PHOTO: Lorries queue in at the border control of the Port of Dover, following the end of the Brexit transition period, in Dover, Britain, January 15, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain should not join a cross-border accord for recognising courts and their rulings, the European Commission recommended on Tuesday, in a move which British business leaders fear could rachet up costs for smaller firms.

The Lugano Convention determines which countries' courts may hear cross-border civil and commercial disputes between the 27 European Union states, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. It also ensures enforcement of rulings from such disputes.