The Government has announced this week that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will be amended. Instead of including a ‘sunset’ date of 31 December 2023, by which all remaining retained EU law (close to 4,000 still in effect in the UK) will either be repealed or assimilated into domestic law, the Bill will now be updated with a specific list of regulations which will be removed by this date. Further EU regulations will be repealed or amended after this date following proper assessment and consultation.
Commenting on this announcement FIS CEO responded:
“I know many are keen to see an end to the influence of EU Law in UK Statute, but this is very much a common-sense approach. Whilst it may feel glacial, the complex and interconnected legislative framework has built up over nearly five decades and it will take more than a red pen to ensure that the changes needed are focussed and interrogated properly. In construction we are already wrestling with the implementation of the Building Safety Act and the raft of secondary regulation that follows, there is only so much we can manage at any one time and we need a focussed and resourced civil service supporting our efforts, not a mad rush to appease a political agenda.”
FIS work with the CLC Regulatory Reform Working Group to help co-ordinate any necessary amends to, particularly working time health and safety legislation (e.g. the Working Time Directive, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), and Work at Height Regulations).
UPDATE 16th MAY 2023 –
A REUL explainer has been published and is available on GOV.UK. It shows the Schedule of REUL to be revoked at sunset.
