Expanded UK marine licensing requirements to include various activities conducted by UK persons or vessels in international waters and the high seas.

This Order expands the scope of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 by designating ten new categories of licensable marine activities conducted in areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as the high seas and the international seabed.

It requires British vessels, aircraft, structures, and 'United Kingdom persons' to obtain licenses for activities including depositing substances, scuttling vessels, constructing works, dredging, and using explosives in these areas.

The Order also establishes specific exemptions for activities that do not require environmental impact assessments and aligns the new regulations with existing Scottish marine legislation and cable maintenance protocols.

Amended the Sunnica Energy Farm Order 2024 to update several project plans and reference documents certified under the development consent.

This Order modifies the Sunnica Energy Farm Order 2024 by updating the list of certified documents that govern the energy farm's development.

It replaces specific rows in Schedule 10 of the original 2024 Order to incorporate updated versions of access and rights of way plans, the book of reference, land and Crown land plans, traffic regulation measures plans, and works plans.

These changes apply to the Sunnica Energy Farm project and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Incorporated former EU standards for animal research severity and reporting into the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

These Regulations amend the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to incorporate and restate clinical and administrative standards formerly contained in EU legislation, specifically the Animals Directive (2010/63/EU).

They establish a domestic framework for classifying the severity of scientific procedures on animals, mandate specific reporting timelines for project summaries, and define the advisory tasks of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies.

The instrument applies to researchers, scientific establishments, and the Secretary of State across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Mandated a hierarchy for Natural England to prioritize avoiding environmental damage over mitigation or compensation in development plans as of July 2026.

These Regulations establish a hierarchy of conservation measures that Natural England must follow when drafting or amending Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.

The agency is directed to prioritize avoidance of environmental damage over mitigation, and mitigation over compensation, provided such prioritisation is deemed appropriate and delivers value for money.

These rules apply specifically to Natural England's administrative processes in England and require the agency to explicitly categorize all proposed conservation measures within their plans.

Commenced multiple sections of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and established transitional arrangements for ongoing infrastructure applications and highway schemes.

These Regulations bring several provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 into legal force on various dates throughout 2026.

The instrument activates sections concerning Natural England's advisory role, the transfer of transport functions, and significant reforms to the development consent process for infrastructure projects under the Planning Act 2008.

These changes apply to the Secretary of State, local planning authorities, Natural England, and applicants for major infrastructure developments in England and Wales.

Amended and modernized the legal framework for the trade of endangered species by introducing electronic permits and new criteria for import waivers.

This instrument updates the regulatory framework for the trade of protected wild fauna and flora in Great Britain to align with international obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

It authorizes the use of electronic permit systems, establishes a process for waiving import permit requirements for certain species, and grants the Secretary of State powers to set trade restrictions and general derogations through secondary legislation.

These regulations apply to management and scientific authorities, customs officers, and any persons or businesses involved in the import, export, or commercial use of endangered species specimens.

The Regulations formally defined 'digital sequence information' in relation to marine genetic resources for the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State, define 'digital sequence information' (DSI) specifically concerning marine genetic resources for the purposes of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026, establishing that DSI means DNA or RNA sequences held in digital format; the legislation comes into force on 10th July 2026 across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, supporting the UK’s implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.

The Regulations amended existing 2017 conservation law to establish specific compensatory measure requirements and administrative processes for certain UK offshore wind projects approved despite negative site assessments.

These Regulations, made under the Energy Act 2023, amend the 2017 Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations and the Conservation of Offshore Marine Habitats and Species Regulations to introduce a specific framework for securing compensatory measures related to 'relevant offshore wind plans or projects' approved despite negative environmental impact assessments.

The amendments effectively disapply existing general duties regarding site coherence and introduce a new mechanism requiring compensatory measures to benefit the UK MPA network proportionately, selected according to a published compensation hierarchy, with specific approval and review responsibilities assigned to the Secretary of State, Welsh Ministers, and Scottish Ministers across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.