On 24 December 2020, the UK and the EU reached agreement on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the TCA) setting out their future relationship. The UK Parliament passed the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020 in one day on 30 December 2020. The TCA has been provisionally applied by both parties from 1 January 2021. The House of Lords is due to debate the TCA on 8 January 2021.
At the time of publication, the UK and the EU are continuing to negotiate their future relationship. Should a deal be reached, the Government has indicated Parliament would have to pass legislation to implement it. The requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 would also need to be met before the UK Government could ratify a treaty. This article looks at the role of the House of Lords in this process.
The Trade (Disclosure of Information) Bill would allow Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and other public authorities to share data relating to the flow of traffic, goods and services into and out of the UK. The House of Lords is due to consider all stages of this bill on 17 December 2020. The bill essentially replicates some data-sharing provisions from the Trade Bill, currently at report stage in the Lords.
In Focus
The House of Lords is due to consider the Taxation (Post-transition Period) Bill on 16 December 2020. The Lords is debarred from amending it as it is a supply bill. The bill would implement customs, VAT and excise obligations arising under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
In Focus
In 2021, the UK will no longer be subject to EU state aid policy. The UK will follow World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and the Government will consult on whether to go beyond them. The Government has laid draft regulations to disapply state aid provisions from retained EU law. This article looks at the background on state aid, including its relevance to the Northern Ireland Protocol and the future relationship negotiations with the EU.
In Focus
The regulation of product safety, and weights and measures, is based on EU law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 brings this EU law into UK statute, so that it will continue to have effect after the end of the transition period. Amendments since have made to enable this framework to operate smoothly in the UK, and added provisions such as a UK conformity mark. This article looks at a further statutory instrument that amends retained EU law in the area, particularly in light of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
In Focus
On 26 November 2020, the House of Lords is due to debate a trade deal, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UK and Japan. This article looks at the deal and the scrutiny it has received from the House of Commons International Trade Committee and the House of Lords International Agreements Sub-Committee.
In Focus
The House of Lords is due to consider two related statutory instruments on 26 November 2020. Along with a third order, the instruments amend orders from 2019 which made provision for ‘Operation Brock’. This is a planned system to manage heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) traffic in Kent when there are delays in exporting goods from Great Britain (GB) to the EU after the transition period. This article examines what the 2020 orders do and why they are being made.
In Focus
After the transition period, customs procedures for goods arriving from the EU will change. These regulations would amend earlier regulations by: delaying until 1 July 2021 the requirement for entry summary declarations for goods coming from the EU to Great Britain; introducing shorter deadlines for submitting exit and entry summary declarations for goods being moved to/from certain territories by short sea journeys; and correcting issues relating to economic operators registration and identification requirements.
Research Briefing
This government bill would introduce measures to support the UK in implementing an independent trade policy, having left the European Union.
In Focus
This article provides information on the UK’s balance of trade with Russia. In 2019, the UK had a trade deficit with Russia of almost £4 billion. The article provides a breakdown of the UK’s trade in goods and services with Russia in 2019, and it summarises how economic relations have been affected by the foreign relations between the two countries in recent years.
In Focus
Xylella fastidiosa is a bacteria that can cause severe disease and death in certain plants. This article explains what the disease is and discusses recent restrictions on plant imports that the UK Government has imposed to reduce the risk of it being introduced to the UK. Xylella is due to be the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 8 July 2020.
In Focus
This article looks at how the coronavirus outbreak is having an impact on the Brexit transition period. It explores what the continued application of EU law during the transition means for the UK’s response to coronavirus, for example on state aid and participation in EU initiatives to procure ventilators. It also looks at what role there would be for Parliament in any decision to extend the transition period beyond December 2020.
In Focus
This article looks at how the coronavirus outbreak is having an impact on the Brexit transition period. It explores how the pandemic has affected the timing and format of the UK-EU future relationship negotiations, and the ability of governments on both sides to focus on them. It also covers the effect on the UK’s implementation of the citizens’ rights and Northern Ireland provisions of the withdrawal agreement.
Research Briefing
This House of Lords Library briefing contains a selection of material relevant for the forthcoming question for short debate on 25 February 2020 on what steps the Government are taking to establish a trade standards commission in advance of negotiating trade deals.
Total results (page 1 of 4)
