The House of Lords European Affairs
Committee has launched a call for evidence for its
new inquiry into dynamic alignment.
As part of the Government's ‘reset' of relations with the EU, it
has agreed to pursue new agreements with the bloc that would
involve the UK's ‘dynamic alignment' with areas of EU law. These
agreements would also enable the UK to contribute to
‘decision-shaping' of the EU law to which it had committed to
align.
Three new UK-EU agreements are being pursued so far:
- A Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to establish a
Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area;
- an agreement to link the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes
(ETSs); and,
- an electricity agreement, under which the UK would
participate in the EU's internal electricity market.
Lord Stirrup, Chair of the Lords European Affairs
Committee, said:
“The introduction of dynamic alignment will be
a significant change to the nature of the UK-EU
relationship established under the
2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement
(TCA). It will have important implications
for the role of
Parliament and its scrutiny of our laws, and will likely
set precedents for any future
agreements that might extend UK
dynamic alignment to further areas.
“Our Committee is launching an inquiry into
dynamic alignment, to give Parliament and the
public a clear understanding of the policy
and institutional issues involved, as this change
is potentially introduced to the nature of the
UK's relationship with the EU. In particular,
the Committee's work aims to support
the House's consideration of
the Government's ‘reset' or ‘dynamic
alignment' Bill, which is expected to be introduced
later this year.”
The Committee has invited interested individuals and
organisations to submit written evidence to
the inquiry by 20 April 2026, and aims to report to the House
later in the year.
The first evidence session of its new inquiry will take
an overview of dynamic alignment and will take place from 11:30am
on Tuesday 24 March.
The Committee will hear from:
-
Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of
European Law, University of Cambridge; and Senior Fellow, UK
in a Changing Europe
The session be take place in Committee Room TBC in the
Houses of Parliament, and can be watched live or later on Parliament
TV.
