ACC issued the following statement after the recent release of the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report.
Brussels, Belgium – The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the premier global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel. With over 45,000 members globally and 3,500 members in Europe, ACC issued the following statement after the recent release of the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report.
“The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) welcomes the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report and celebrates its influential role to further key rule of law objectives in the European Union. Each topic the Report focuses on is an important element to help advance and strengthen the rule of law in Member States.
“However, the Report regrettably fails to reference the critical need for the recognition of legal professional privilege (LPP) for in-house counsel in the different Member States across the EU. LPP for in-house counsel is a critical element of a well-functioning justice system and those Member States that recognize LPP for in-house counsel, such as the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal or Greece, among others, should be highlighted positively in the Rule of Law Report. Confidentiality of the communications exchanged between in-house lawyers and their clients for the purposes of seeking or providing legal advice promotes the rule of law. Legal compliance is fostered by setting up an environment where free, open, trusted and candid discussions between in-house lawyers and their business clients can occur. On the contrary, without accessible, regular and confidential legal advice from their in-house lawyers, companies are less likely to discover legal violations. Lack of LPP for in-house counsel has a chilling effect on corporate compliance efforts, creating a risk that conversations that should have taken place, never took place.”
“ACC remains committed to ensuring that the unique and expert perspectives of in-house counsel become a greater part of the conversation to expand and enhance the rule of law for all Europeans. We look forward to engaging in additional dialogue with the Commission about the critical role LPP plays in allowing in-house counsel to positively contribute to the rule of law in the EU.”
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About ACC: The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the premier global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. For more than 40 years, ACC has set the standard for in-house counsel and raised awareness regarding the value of the chief legal officer in the C-suite and boardroom. With more than 45,000 members employed by over 10,000 organizations and spanning 100+ nations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel® remains the foundation for ACC’s market leadership. For more information, visit www.acc.com and follow ACC on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.