Industry groups and unions have called on ministers to rethink plans to scrap several EU laws that systematically remained in place after Brexit.
After Brexit, the UK remained aligned to EU law during the transition period which lasted until January 2021. Since then, it has diverged in areas such as immigration as farmers’ subsidies but other legacy EU rules have remained across other areas.
With its Retained EU Law Bill, the government is now looking to move away from more EU rules in a bid to take “advantage of the benefits of Brexit”. The bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons in October.
“The government is committed to taking full advantage of the benefits of Brexit, which is why we are pushing ahead with our Retained EU Law Bill,” a government spokesperson said.
“This will allow us to ensure our laws and regulations best fit the needs of the country, including making sure we continue to protect and enhance workers' rights and support jobs.”
However, one of the elements of the draft legislation that has raised concerns is a “sunset clause” which could see some legacy EU laws simply expire at the end of 2023.
Industry leaders and unions argue that cliff-edge divergence will lead to “confusion and disruption”, with a joint letter being written to business secretary, Grant Shapps, asking government to reconsider.
The signatories include the Institute of Directors, Trades Union Congress, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development [CIPD], the Employment Lawyers Association, Greener UK, Wildlife and Countryside Link and the Civil Society Alliance.
The letter reads: “We are concerned that if passed into law, [the bill] could cause significant confusion and disruption for businesses, working people and those seeking to protect the environment.
“The bill would automatically sweep away thousands of pieces of legislation and established legal principles.”
Among the laws that could lapse are protections for workers, as well as consumer and environmental rights that were enshrined in EU law. Some of these include holiday pay, safe working hours and discrimination laws.
Other laws relating to the food industry, such as how products such as meat and eggs are labelled, could also be affected.
The signatories of the letter have also warned that if the UK systematically scraps the laws, it could break the terms of its post-Brexit trade deal with the EU and have repercussions for businesses that export to the continent.
This, they argue, could raise further barriers to British businesses looking to trade with the continent, such as new tariffs, and hamper economic growth further.
