^{This article was first published in the CIPA Journal, January-February 2017}

We now know that the UPC will go ahead – probably in mid to late 2017 – with the UK on board. Why was this such a surprise? In a year when we have seen a vote for Brexit and the election of President-elect Trump, surely we should have seen this coming. In this article Bristows partner, Alan Johnson (Associate), looks at why this was possible, and the path to UK ratification.