The Bar Council is in the process of establishing a European committee that will bolster its efforts to lobby European Community institutions

It is hoped that English barristers will have an increased role in the drafting of European legislation that impacts on the English Bar.

One issue on the fledgling committee's agenda is the well-advanced European draft legislation on cross-border legal aid. This will provide a pot of money which, for example, a French person who suffers an injury in England will be able to draw on.

Nicholas Green QC of Brick Court Chambers has been selected by the Bar chairman as the committee's chairman.