This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the Lords’ consideration of the statutory instrument to change the date of ‘exit day’ in domestic law, following the UK’s agreement with the EU to extend the article 50 period beyond 29 March 2019.
Extending Article 50: European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (263KB PDF)
In response to the UK’s formal request to the EU to extend the two-year article 50 period beyond 29 March 2019, the European Council agreed last week to an extension until 22 May 2019 if the House of Commons approves the withdrawal agreement before 29 March 2019, and to 12 April 2019 if the House of Commons does not approve the withdrawal agreement by 29 March 2019. The terms of this extension were adopted as a legally binding European Council Decision on 22 March 2019, and the UK will not be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the EUWA) sets the date of ‘exit day’ in domestic law as 29 March 2019. Under powers contained in the EUWA, the Government has laid draft regulations before Parliament to change the date of exit day in domestic law to reflect what has been agreed with the EU about the UK’s departure date. It is the operation of article 50 and EU law which govern when the UK’s membership of the EU will cease. ‘Exit day’ as specified in the EUWA can only have an effect in domestic law—failing to change the date of exit day in domestic law will not affect the agreement the UK has made with the EU about extending the article 50 period. However, the Government is seeking to ensure that the date of exit day in domestic law matches the date on which the EU Treaties cease to apply to the UK in order to avoid “serious problems and uncertainty with regard to the domestic statute book”.
The statutory instrument (SI) to change the date of exit day cannot come into force unless it is approved by both Houses of Parliament. Neither House can amend the SI. Both Houses have the power to reject SIs, but they have used this power only rarely. The House of Lords is due to debate the SI on 27 March 2019. This briefing provides background information about the legal context in EU and domestic law and parliamentary procedures relating to debate on this SI.
Extending Article 50: European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (263KB PDF)
The UK is a signatory to the convention establishing an international claims commission for Ukraine. The commission would assess claims for compensation for damage and losses caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The House of Lords International Agreements Committee has broadly welcomed the convention, but also raised concerns about the scope and efficacy of the commission.
Social media and other technologies have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign powers to spread false information online aimed at undermining UK democracy. Such disinformation campaigns are one type of interference operation. In parallel, researchers have noted a link between declining public trust and societal polarisation, which can be exacerbated by online discourse. This briefing provides introductory reading to these issues, including recent reports and government announcements.
Concerns about abuse and intimidation towards elected representatives have increased in recent years. The Jo Cox Civility Commission made a number of recommendations in a 2024 report to address this because of concerns that this activity would dissuade people from standing in elections and encourage existing representatives to stand down. The government has instigated a number of policies to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.
