Less than two weeks after the Government confirmed its
comprehensive plans for the UK’s future relationship with
the EU, it has published a further White Paper explaining
how the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement will be put into law.
The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill – formerly known as the
Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill – will
legislate for the major elements of the Withdrawal
Agreement we reach with the EU, including issues such as
the agreement on citizens’ rights, the financial settlement
and the details of a time-limited implementation period.
The precise details of the Bill will be subject to the
ongoing negotiations with the EU but today’s White Paper
provides yet more legal certainty as we prepare to leave
the EU in March next year.
It confirms that the Bill will:
-
be the primary means by which the rights of EU citizens
will be implemented and protected in UK law;
-
amend some parts of the EU (Withdrawal) Act to ensure
that our statute book functions correctly during the
time-limited implementation period; and
-
create a financial authority to manage the specific
payments to be made under the financial settlement,
with appropriate Parliamentary oversight.
With UK and EU negotiators continuing to work through
outstanding parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, including on
Northern Ireland and other separation issues, more detail
on how they will be legislated for will be provided in due
course.
The Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said:
“This White Paper on the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
explains the pragmatic approach we are taking to
legislating for our Withdrawal Agreement, including the
time-limited implementation period that we agreed with the
EU in March.
“It also provides further certainty at home and in the
negotiations that the UK is getting on with the job of
delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit while giving
Parliamentarians an opportunity to consider the detail of
the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill before it is introduced.
“We look forward to working with MPs and peers on this
crucial piece of legislation which will give effect to our
exit Treaty in law.”
The Bill was announced in November last year, but this is
the first time that the Government has presented detail on
how key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement will be made
reality in UK law.
It follows the EU (Withdrawal) Act which received Royal
Assent on 26 June 2018 and will ensure that our statute
book functions when we leave, regardless of the outcome of
the negotiations.
