30 Nov Brexit Update – The ‘Sunset Clause’

Following Brexit, UK lawmakers have been sifting through the current legal precedents and filtering out any vestiges of EU law from domestic statute books. Government researchers initially identified 2,400 EU-derived laws that warranted consideration for their repeal or replacement. Then on 8 November 2022, the committee overseeing the discovery announced that an additional 1,400 pieces of EU law had been found at the National Archives. The EU-based laws in question represent regulations ranging from workers’ rights to business to environmental protections. As of 30 November 2022, the bill that prompts the EU law revisions is at committee stage in parliament. If the proposed laws within the bill are enacted, the “sunset” clause within the bill will void all EU law unless otherwise amended. This bill could have a massive effect not only on UK citizens, but also on the UK’s legal sector.

With the repeal of old laws and the introduction of new or amended laws, we expect that companies that operate cross-border with the EU may be seeking help with the increased volume of business that results from these changes. Virtually every aspect of law would be affected by this bill, resulting in a further need for qualified solicitors to sort through the changes.