The regulations amended existing legislation to extend transitional periods for official controls on various areas related to food and agricultural products, shifting deadlines from July 1, 2025, to January 31, 2027.

The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective May 20, 2025 (with some exceptions), extend several transitional periods related to post-Brexit official controls on food, feed, animal health, plant health, and plant protection products.

The amendments postpone deadlines in Annex 6 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, the Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) Regulations 2021, and the Official Controls (Plant Health) (Frequency of Checks) Regulations 2022, delaying stricter checks on certain imported goods until January 31, 2027.

These changes aim to ease the transition to the new regulatory framework.

The Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 were amended to include three additional institutions authorized to advise on exemption certificate applications.

These regulations amend the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 to add three national museums—in Merseyside, Northern Ireland, and Wales—to the list of institutions authorized to advise the Secretary of State on applications for exemption certificates under the Ivory Act 2018.

The amendment aims to improve the expertise and geographic reach of advice provided.

Specific sections of the Environment Act 2021 relating to biodiversity net gain, along with relevant sections of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, were brought into force on May 1st, 2025.

The Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 10) Regulations 2025, effective May 1, 2025, implement several sections of the Environment Act 2021 concerning biodiversity net gain.

These sections, primarily impacting planning permissions in England, introduce a condition within the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to ensure that all new developments contribute towards increasing biodiversity.

The regulations clarify specific parts of the relevant legislation that come into effect and explain the integration of these additions into existing planning processes.

While no independent cost impact assessment was deemed necessary for these regulations, reference is made to a broader impact assessment on the Environment Act 2021.

The regulations amended several UK customs regulations, updating tariff rates, authorized uses, and preferential trade arrangements to reflect changes in international trade and commodity codes.

The Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025, effective April 27, 2025, amend several existing UK customs regulations.

These amendments update various documents related to the Tariff of the United Kingdom, authorized uses, and preferential trade arrangements with multiple countries.

Specific changes include updated versions of the “Authorised Use: Eligible Goods and Authorised Uses,” “Tariff of the United Kingdom,” and “Authorised Use: Eligible goods and rates” documents, and revisions to quota volumes and preferential tariff reference documents for several trade agreements.

The amendments aim to align UK customs procedures with international standards and reflect changes made by the EU.

The Flood Reinsurance (Amendment) Regulations 2025 increased the levy to £160 million and amended the 2015 regulations.

These regulations amend the 2015 Flood Reinsurance regulations, raising the total levy from £135 million to £160 million.

This increase aims to improve the affordability and availability of flood insurance in high-risk areas.

The amendment applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and took effect on April 1st, 2025, without affecting existing liabilities.

The regulations amended existing legislation concerning persistent organic pollutants, updating concentration limits and exemptions, and adding several new substances to relevant annexes.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants.

Key changes include updated concentration limits and exemptions for several substances in Annexes 1, 4, and 5, reflecting changes to the Stockholm Convention and international best practices.

The amendments add new substances, including Dechlorane Plus, Methoxychlor, and UV-328, to Annex 1 and update waste management provisions and derogations for several substances in Annexes 4 and 5.

A de minimis assessment indicates minimal overall economic impact.

The Order established March 26, 2025, as the end date for the access preparation period for the coastal margin land between Humber Bridge and Easington.

The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Humber Bridge to Easington) Order 2025 sets March 26, 2025, as the end date for the access preparation period for coastal margin land between the Humber Bridge and Easington.

This follows the Secretary of State's approval of Natural England's report proposing a coastal access path in this area, based on the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 amended the permitted uses of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 in line with EU regulations.

These regulations amend the UK's implementation of the EU's Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation (EU) 2019/1021.

Specifically, they modify the permitted uses of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328, allowing their continued use in certain applications, such as aerospace, defense, and medical devices, until specific dates in 2030 and 2044.

The amendments also clarify permitted use for replacement parts and repairs within those applications.

The regulations ensure consistency with previous UK legislation (S.I. 2025/296).