The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, also known as the Repeal Bill, was introduced to the House of Commons and given its First Reading on Thursday 13 July 2017. This stage is formal and takes place without any debate. MPs will next consider the Bill at Second Reading. The date for second reading has not yet been announced.

This Bill is the first piece of Government legislation relating to Brexit since Article 50 was triggered in March.

The Bill repeals the 1972 European Communities Act which took the UK into the EU. It is designed to convert EU law into UK law and to ensure continuity of the rules and laws currently in place in the UK on the day after Brexit.

The Bill can be found at

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0005/18005.pdf

Explanatory notes are provided at

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0005/en/18005en.pdf

Factsheets providing further information about the Repeal Bill can be found on the Government’s web-site at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-about-the-repeal-bill

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-about-the-withdrawal-bill

Details of the individual Factsheets are added here for convenience:

• General
• Converting and preserving law
• The correcting power
• Power to implement the withdrawal agreement
• Devolution
• Charter of Fundamental Rights
• Workers’ rights
• Environmental protections
• Consumer protections
• Glossary
• Impact Assessment
• Regulatory Policy Committee opinion

Guidance for businesses and organisations on the Repeal Bill at

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-for-businesses-on-the-repeal-bill