Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe

The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) is an association gathering together bar associations of 32 countries in Europe (those of the European Union, of the European Economic Area and of Switzerland) and an additional eleven associate and observer members. The CCBE represents around a million European lawyers before EU institutions mainly, but also before other international organisations. The CCBE is an international non-profit organisation (AISBL) under Belgian law and has its seat in Brussels.

The CCBE was created in September 1960 during a congress of the Union internationale des avocats (UIA) where it was suggested to create a body representing the bar associations of the six founding Member States of the EEC (Western Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands). The establishment of such a body was seen as necessary in order to represent the interests of lawyers before the EEC.

The project came to life in December 1960 with the creation of “The consultative committee of bars and national associations of the six States of the EEC (gathered by the UIA)”. This appellation was eventually simplified to "Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe", retaining the abbreviation CCBE. The CCBE became autonomous in 1966. The first President of the CCBE was Count Ercole Graziadei.

In 1977, the CCBE was closely consulted by the European Commission during the drafting of Directive (EC) 77/249 which permitted EU lawyers to provide temporary services in an EU Member State other than their home Member State.

In 1979, the official recognition as representing the interests of the legal profession in Europe was given through its intervention in the case AM&S Europe Limited v Commission of the European Communities, which focused on the question of legal professional privilege for in-house counsel. From then on, the CCBE established a permanent delegation to the Community Courts.

In 1998, the second directive specific to the legal profession, Directive (EC) 98/5, was passed after a long debate within the CCBE. This directive permitted EU lawyers to establish in another Member State, provided that they are registered with, and are regulated by, the local host bar.

The CCBE is regularly consulted by the European Commission and the European Parliament about directives concerning the interests of the legal profession in Europe

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