The Intent of the Brexit Freedoms Bill

​​​​​​​But, what is the Brexit Freedoms Bill and what will it do? 
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The intent of the brexit freedoms bill

Proposed by parliament in January 2022, The Brexit Freedoms Bill was first brought about to “get Brexit done” by targeting EU laws within the UK.

The Bill intends to put over 1,500 pieces of EU legislation under review for amendment, cancellation, or keeping, by a date set in a “sunset clause” – optimistically within five years.
Within this submission, the UK will review items of EU legislation that have been admitted to UK law without going through the process of parliamentary approval due to previous EU membership. 

As previous members of the EU, Britain had to admit universal legislation into law when decided by the EU’s council. As a result, several EU laws remain that Britain is no longer tied to, and that may not be beneficial to the country, but are still in effect due to them not yet being reviewed by the Government since Brexit.

How will these clauses be considered? 

Well, each bill is read, audited, and importantly, if voted in favour of by the House of Lords and the House of Commons, implemented.

This process has five stages:

  • First reading.
  • Second reading.
  • Committee stage.
  • Report stage.
  • Third reading.

At all stages, Members of Parliament can raise questions or objections to parts or all of the bill. It will only be passed into UK law once both houses approve a final version and it is given royal assent. But, the Brexit Freedoms Bill will add urgency to this task and allow the opportunity for EU laws to be reviewed by the UK for the first time.

What are the disadvantages of the bill? 

Initial objectors of the Brexit Freedoms Bill have raised concerns that it will restrict or complicate trade with the EU (potentially compounding the cost of living crisis), occupy resources within the government at a time when cuts are being made to civil services, and scare off foreign investors. This will likely mean heavy scrutiny and delays as the Bill passes through parliament,
Currently, no action has been taken, and there is heavy opposition inside the government and across several industries, so the Bill (if passed) will likely be amended.

So how do you prepare for the unknown?

Customs Support is here if you have any concerns about the impact that the Brexit Freedoms Bill could have on your customs clearances.

With offices across the UK, Northern Ireland, and the rest of Europe, we provide you with local expertise on both sides of your supply chain so that you can stay informed on changes in legislation and trade across borders with ease. If you want more information on our end-to-end customs clearance services, contact one of our team for more information.