Browse regulations

EU Exit SI that amendments the eIDAS Regulation (EU 910/2014) on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions. The Schedule makes technical amendments to ensure the regulation functions in the UK post-Brexit, including changes to other EEA Agreement provisions and domestic legislation. It preserves the EU framework largely unchanged while simply adapting it for UK legal continuity.

This regulation retains the EU eIDAS framework wholesale with only cosmetic post-Brexit adaptations. Rather than seize Brexit's opportunity to develop a distinct, competitive UK regime for electronic trust services, it perpetuates EU-derived rules indefinitely. The City of London could benefit from a more agile, innovation-friendly framework tailored to UK interests rather than EU prescriptions. Keeping this locks in an inherited framework without democratic reconsideration of its merits.

Post-Brexit statutory instrument that amends EU-derived GMO regulations (including Regulations 1830/2003, 1946/2003, Decision 94/730/EC, Decisions 2002/812/EC and 2002/813/EC) tooperate in the UK after EU exit. Replaces 'Community legislation' with 'retained EU law', substitutes 'Member States' with UK competent authorities, establishes GB focal points, and updates cross-references from EU directives to UK-specific regulations (Deliberate Release Regulations 2002 for England, Wales, Scotland).

This is a purely mechanical Brexit adaptation instrument—not new regulation but necessary technical amendments to maintain legal coherence. Deletion would create regulatory gaps, dead cross-references, and legal uncertainty in the GMO framework. While the underlying EU GMO approval and traceability regime may warrant review on its merits, this instrument merely ensures that framework remains functional post-Brexit. Without these amendments, the entire GMO regulatory infrastructure would collapse into incoherence, harming both businesses and consumers who rely on predictable, applicable rules.

Brexit-related amendment regulation that updates two 1992 Orders concerning VAT and excise personal reliefs for special visitors and permanently imported goods. Replaces EU-centric references (member States, third country, EU customs duty) with UK-centric ones (United Kingdom, another country, import duty under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018). Updates definitions of 'entitled person' to use domestic legislation rather than EU-derived privileges.

This regulation performs essential legal machinery rather than creating new regulatory burden. Without these amendments, the underlying 1992 Orders would contain obsolete EU references incompatible with post-Brexit law, creating legal uncertainty. The regulation preserves existing tax relief frameworks for diplomats and special visitors by merely updating statutory references — it does not expand the scope of regulation or impose new costs. Deleting it would create administrative and legal confusion without reducing actual regulatory burden, since the underlying reliefs represent tax reductions rather than market restrictions.

The Competition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 amend the Competition Act 1998 to adapt UK competition law for post-Brexit operation. Key changes include: renaming 'parallel exemptions' to 'retained exemptions', removing references to EU Articles 101/102, creating new CMA powers to monitor transferred EU anti-trust commitments and directions, establishing a power for the Secretary of State to vary or revoke retained block exemption regulations, and adding transitional provisions requiring courts and CMA to maintain consistency with pre-exit EU competition principles where compatible.

While this regulation carries over EU-derived competition rules, deleting it would create legal chaos in UK competition enforcement and harm businesses through uncertainty. Critically, the regulation actually improves upon the pre-exit framework by granting the Secretary of State power under new Section 10A to vary or revoke retained block exemption regulations—something the original EU framework did not permit. Without this regulation, the CMA would lack clear authority over previously EU-monitored antitrust cases, creating a enforcement gap that could harm competition and consumer welfare. The transitional provisions in Section 60A appropriately balance maintaining legal continuity while allowing departure from EU principles where warranted under subsection (7) exceptions.

A commencement order that brings the Church Property Measure 2018 into force on 1st March 2019, with limited exceptions for sections 12(5) and 36(2). The Measure governs Church of England parochial and diocesan property arrangements, including powers of parochial church councils, diocesan boards of finance, and trust property management.

This is a procedural commencement order that merely activates another Measure — it adds no independent regulatory burden itself. The real substance lies in the Church Property Measure 2018 itself. As a standalone instrument, it performs no function beyond timing the entry into force of provisions already enacted by Parliament, making its independent deletion inconsequential while preserving the administrative record.

A Church of England statutory instrument that brings the Church of England Pensions Measure 2018 into force on 1st March 2019 and provides savings provisions for ongoing appeal proceedings under the old Clergy Pensions Measure 1961 and Court of Protection matters under the 1988 Regulations, allowing them to continue despite the repeal of underlying legislation.

This is a procedural commencement and savings measure with no regulatory burden — it simply activates the 2018 Measure and preserves ongoing legal proceedings. Deleting it would leave the 2018 Measure unenacted and disrupt pending appeals and Court of Protection cases. The regulation addresses no market distortion, imposes no competitive restrictions, and carries no EU-derived compliance costs. As a purely administrative instrument governing Church of England clergy pension transitions, its elimination would create legal uncertainty without advancing any free-market objective.

A commencement order bringing sections 1-3 of the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018 into force on 1st February 2019. The Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018 governs cooperation and relations between the Church of England and other churches.

This is a one-time procedural instrument that merely activated provisions of the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018. Having served its sole purpose in February 2019, it has no ongoing regulatory effect. The underlying Measure (if still in force) would remain operative regardless; revoking this commencement order would not undo those provisions. It represents bureaucratic process rather than active regulatory burden, yet remains on the books as unnecessary legislative detritus inherited from our EU-era law retention process.

The Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rating (Demand Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 amends the 2003 Regulations to update mandatory explanatory notes that must appear on rate demand notices. It updates text regarding rural rate relief (confirming 100% relief for eligible rural businesses) and Business Rate Supplements, ensuring ratepayers receive standardized information about reliefs and supplements applicable to their bills.

This regulation imposes no substantive restrictions, costs, or distortions on economic activity. It merely standardizes explanatory information on billing notices, ensuring ratepayers are informed about reliefs they may be entitled to (such as rural rate relief and BRS). Without mandated transparency in tax billing, monopoly local authorities have little incentive to inform ratepayers of available reliefs. The information costs fall on billing authorities alone, while ratepayers benefit from knowing their rights.

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This Statutory Instrument appoints 28th January 2019 as the day on which specific provisions of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 and the Value Added Tax (Postal Packets and Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 come into force. It deals with Brexit-related VAT arrangements for postal packets, specifically regarding the interpretation of 'import VAT'.

This SI is purely a commencement date setter with no substantive regulatory content. It merely activates already-existing regulations. As a procedural instrument, it adds no regulatory burden itself, but represents the remnants of EU Exit administrative machinery that should be simplified. The underlying policy goals (VAT on postal imports) can be achieved through clearer, more streamlined primary legislation rather than layered commencement SIs. The regulatory landscape would be better served by consolidating such timing provisions into the primary instruments they relate to, reducing legislative clutter without affecting substantive obligations.

Brexit transitional regulations providing rules for determining the timing of VAT supplies and acquisitions around 'IP completion day' (December 31, 2020). Includes provisions for: (1) disregarding EU-era VAT amendments for pre-completion transactions, (2) determining when supplies/services are treated as made relative to completion day, (3) apportioning payments for services spanning the transition period, (4) transitional rules for goods in transit between UK and EU, and (5) interpretation of section 55A statements for the pre-completion period.

These are time-limited Brexit transitional provisions that have served their purpose. The IP completion day (December 31, 2020) has passed, and the regulation's operative provisions applying EU VAT amendments only to post-completion transactions are now entirely historical. While tax dispute resolution might theoretically reference these rules, the core framework is obsolete. The regulation represents exactly the kind of complex, EU-exit-specific legislation that should be consolidated rather than maintained indefinitely as dead law on the statute book.

Grants time-limited exemptions from the Electricity Act 1989's prohibition on unlicensed transmission (section 4(1)(b)) to named persons in respect of transmission systems connected to specific generating stations. The exemptions run from start dates to end dates specified in a table, but cease early if the transmission system is transferred to a successful bidder through competitive tender for an offshore transmission licence.

This Order grants bespoke exemptions to named companies, which is inherently discriminatory and creates competitive distortions. The exemptions appear to be transitional arrangements facilitating the shift to competitive tendering for offshore transmission assets — a process that should have concluded by now, making this Order likely obsolete. If the underlying activity no longer requires an exemption because the competitive tender regime has been implemented, this Order serves no purpose. The original sin remains the licensing regime itself that creates the need for such dispensations; rather than patching it with exemptions for politically favoured projects, the regime should be reformed to allow market participants to operate freely without seeking government permission.

The Customs (Export) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 establish the framework for exporting goods from the UK post-Brexit. They define the 'common export procedure', govern export declarations (electronic, oral, and by conduct), establish simplified declaration processes, EIDR export procedures, and create an approvals/authorisations regime including authorised economic operators. The regulations specify when export declarations must be made, requirements for making goods available for examination, and procedures for discharging export procedures. They interact with other Brexit statutory instruments including CIDEER 2018 (import duty), CSPOP 2018 (special procedures), and incorporate EU UCC concepts into UK law.

This regulation perpetuates the EU Customs Code framework with minimal liberalisation, creating substantial compliance costs for exporters. The multiple declaration pathways (electronic, oral, by conduct) and complex approval regimes impose administrative burdens that disadvantage smaller exporters and reduce trade flexibility. The EU-derived concepts (UCC references, universal postal union definitions) remain embedded despite Brexit sovereignty. The extensive definitional apparatus and procedural requirements distort exporter behaviour and raise transaction costs without demonstrated commensurate benefits in duty collection or security outcomes that could not be achieved through simpler notification-based mechanisms.

Technical amendment regulations made under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 to prepare the Organic Products Regulations 2009 for Brexit. Replaces EU institutional references with Great Britain, defines 'third country' to identify non-UK territories, removes EU Commission representation references, and omits outdated EU article citations from the Schedule. Comes into force on exit day.

This is a purely mechanical Brexit contingency instrument that maintains existing organic product regulatory framework continuity. Deletion would create legal uncertainty and disrupt £2.3bn+ UK organic market trade by leaving the 2009 regulations with broken EU references. No new regulatory burden is imposed; the amendment merely updates terminology to reflect UK sovereignty. The underlying organic certification regime (which could be reviewed separately) remains intact.

EU Exit amendment instrument making technical changes to Northern Ireland exotic animal disease regulations, replacing 'intra-Community trade' with 'trade to the EU', 'another' with 'a' in disease control contexts, and updating EU-related terminology across multiple disease control Orders covering Classical Swine Fever, African Swine Fever, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza, Swine Vesicular Disease, and African Horse Sickness.

This is purely technical post-Brexit housekeeping that removes confusing EU terminology from disease control regulations. The underlying exotic disease regulations serve legitimate purposes: preventing catastrophic outbreaks that devastated UK agriculture (2001 foot-and-mouth cost £8bn+), protecting public health from zoonotic diseases, and enabling safe trade in animals and animal products. Deleting this amendment would leave confusing obsolete EU references in place without reducing any regulatory burden, since the underlying disease control measures remain necessary. No new regulatory requirements are imposed—only clarifying existing ones for post-Brexit reality.