Committees

Retained EU law: the progress and mechanics of reform

Inquiry

On 29 June 2023, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act received Royal Assent. The Act will end the special status of retained EU law (REUL) on the UK statute book and makes it easier for REUL to be amended, revoked or replaced.

The Act contains a schedule of REUL that will be automatically revoked, also at the end of 2023. Along with this schedule, the Government is undertaking a REUL reform programme. At present, there is little publicly available information on the programme and the Government’s timetable for the reform of REUL is unclear. During the passage of the Act, the Government committed to report to the Committee on a six-monthly basis on the progress it is making towards the repeal of REUL. A list of changes that have so far been made to REUL under the Act can be found on GOV.UK. 

The Committee followed the passage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 closely, which provided for the retention of EU law, and in July 2022 reported on the Government’s plans for its reform. With the 2023 Act having been on the statute book for close to six months, the Committee is considering the progress and ‘mechanics’ of REUL reform, and how reform can be achieved in a timely and efficient way. 

The Act was an important first step in returning sovereignty, self-government and democracy to the UK. Questions still remain regarding Northern Ireland and the Windsor Framework, which the Committee is considering in other work. The inquiry will look at how the revocation of retained EU law is progressing in this context, and how the important features of the Act are being utilised by the Government to restore and safeguard the UK’s constitutional traditions and independence. 

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:55pm on 5 February 2024.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Wednesday 15 May 2024
2:00pm Private
2:30pm Public
Retained EU law: the progress and mechanics of reform - Oral evidence 15 May 2024
2:30pm
  • Alex Thomas (Programme Director at Institute for Government)
  • Dr James Vitali (Head of Political Economy at Policy Exchange)
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 13 March 2024
1:45pm Private
2:30pm Public
Retained EU law: the progress and mechanics of reform - Oral evidence 13 March 2024
2:30pm
  • Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch (Secretary of State at Department for Business and Trade)
  • Chris Carr (Director, Smarter Regulation Directorate at Department for Business and Trade)
  • Gavin Lambert (Director General, Competition, Markets and Regulatory Reform Group at Department for Business and Trade)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 21 February 2024
1:45pm Private
2:30pm Public
Retained EU law: the progress and mechanics of reform - Oral evidence 21 February 2024
2:30pm
  • Professor Kenneth Armstrong (Professor of European Law at University of Cambridge)
  • Martin Howe KC (Barrister at 8 New Square Chambers)
  • Dr Oliver Garner (Maurice Wohl Research Leader in European Rule of Law at Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law)
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 6 December 2023
1:45pm Private
2:30pm Public
Retained EU law: the progress and mechanics of reform - Oral evidence 6 December 2023
2:30pm
  • Dr Oliver Garner (Maurice Wohl Research Leader in European Rule of Law at Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, British Institute of International and Comparative Law)
  • Joël Reland (Research Associate at UK in a Changing Europe)
  • Professor Adelyn Wilson (Head of Strathclyde Law School and Professor of Law at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow)
  • Dr Robert Taylor (Senior Lecturer in Public Law at University of Aberdeen)
Room 5, Palace of Westminster

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