Repeal Bill offers stability beyond Brexit

13th July 2017

Posted on July 13th, 2017

Brexit Secretary David Davis has published the first draft of a bill designed to enshrine into UK law thousands of EU regulations.

The legislation, known as the Repeal Bill, will ensure the rules continue to apply in the UK after Brexit, while giving UK Parliaments the power to change or repeal them later as required.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at the Chamber, said: “Business does not like uncertainty. Enshrining into UK law the myriad regulations to have come out of the EU in the past 40 years means businesses can be assured that during and beyond the Brexit process they will be operating under the same conditions and controls as they are today, which means stability.

“Continuity is necessary to prevent disruption to business in the UK, particularly when it comes to continuing to trade with the EU. Once we leave the EU and regain sovereignty over our own laws we can re-examine the legislation on a case-by-case basis.

“At that point Government will, hopefully, consider the burden on business of compliance with laws which may then no longer be appropriate for UK plc and work with business to take action to either repeal them or make them appropriate.

“Our clear message to politicians is that this Bill must not be amended in a way that makes the UK a more expensive or complex place to do business, which would risk undermining future competitiveness.”

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