UK to transfer European laws to regain control
The «Great Repeal Bill»: Charting the UK’s Legal Independence from the EU
LONDON, England – In a landmark step towards fulfilling the result of the 2016 referendum, the UK government has unveiled the mechanism for its legal separation from the European Union. The centrepiece of this strategy is the «Great Repeal Bill,» formally known as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. This legislation is designed to end the supremacy of EU law in the UK by transferring the vast body of existing European legislation directly into British statute.
The primary objective is to ensure a stable and predictable transition. As articulated by the then Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, the Bill will «provide maximum certainty as we leave the EU» by converting current EU laws into domestic ones on the day of exit. This approach prevents a legislative vacuum and provides a functioning legal system from day one of independence.
A Monumental Legal Undertaking
The scale of this task is immense. The government estimates that approximately 12,000 EU regulations and 7,900 statutory instruments are in force, though some analyses suggest the total could be as high as 20,000 when accounting for all directives and associated case law. This body of legislation touches nearly every aspect of modern life, from workers’ rights and environmental protections to the intricate regulation of financial services.
The Bill will achieve its goal through three key actions:
- Repealing the European Communities Act of 1972, the foundational law that gives EU law direct effect and supremacy in the UK.
- Converting all existing EU law into UK law, creating a standalone British statute book.
- Creating powers for Parliament and devolved governments to amend, repeal, or adapt this newly absorbed legislation to fit domestic needs after Brexit.
Reclaiming Sovereignty and Judicial Authority
For proponents, this process is fundamental to reclaiming national sovereignty. «This is about taking back control of our laws,» David Davis stated in Parliament. He emphasized that by leaving the EU, the UK would bring an end to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg. Legal authority will be fully restored to UK courts and judges.
The government has framed this as a move to ensure continuity. «We will have the same standards and rules as the rest of the EU member countries on the day we leave,» Davis noted, while also making clear that this is merely the starting point. The subsequent task for Parliament will be a meticulous, line-by-line review of this inherited legal corpus to shape a uniquely British regulatory environment.
This parliamentary process will be rigorous, as the Bill must be passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The government aims for a «calm and orderly» exit, targeting the conclusion of negotiations by March 2019 to avoid any legal limbo. However, the true work of refining this massive new body of law—correcting elements that no longer function outside the single market or aligning them with new national priorities—will be a defining task for the UK’s legislature for years to come.
Source.Informador
More content for European union:
