Foreign Policy Legislation

Legislative framework for international relations, diplomatic affairs, treaties, and overseas development assistance.

The Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions (Overseas Territories) Order 2026

Published: Thu 15th Oct 26 Came into force: Thu 15th Oct 26

Extended UK human rights and international humanitarian law sanctions to specific British overseas territories and established local enforcement frameworks.


This Order extends the Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 to twelve British overseas territories, including the Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, and Falkland Islands.

It authorizes the freezing of funds and economic resources belonging to persons designated by the UK Secretary of State for involvement in serious human rights violations or breaches of international humanitarian law.

The Order directs Governors of these territories to publish lists of designated persons, establishes licensing procedures for permitted financial activities, and defines criminal penalties for circumventing these sanctions.

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The Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026

Published: Tue 13th Oct 26 Came into force: Thu 15th Oct 26

Established a consolidated UK sanctions regime for human rights and international humanitarian law violations, replacing the 2020 regulations.


These Regulations establish a legal framework to impose financial, immigration, and director disqualification sanctions on persons involved in serious human rights violations, breaches of international humanitarian law, or the obstruction of humanitarian aid.

The Secretary of State is authorized to designate individuals or entities by name or description, triggering an immediate freeze on their funds and economic resources and prohibiting others from making resources available to them.

The measures apply to all persons within the United Kingdom and to United Kingdom persons operating anywhere in the world, with enforcement overseen by the Treasury and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

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The Trade (Mobile Roaming) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Published: Mon 20th Jul 26 Came into force: Wed 5th Aug 26

Reduced the maximum wholesale roaming charges for calls, texts, and data services in EEA EFTA countries.


These Regulations lower the maximum wholesale rates that mobile service providers may charge each other for roaming services in specific territories covered by the UK-EEA EFTA Free Trade Agreement.

The order reduces the price caps for making telephone calls and sending SMS messages, and establishes a two-stage reduction for data transmission charges.

These changes apply to mobile network operators providing roaming services under the international agreement between the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

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The National Security Act 2023 (Designated Bodies) Regulations 2026

Published: Fri 17th Jul 26 Came into force: Fri 17th Jul 26

Designated the IRGC, IMCR, and GRU Volunteer Corps as foreign power threat entities under national security law.


These Regulations designate three specific organizations as "designated bodies" under Part 1 of the National Security Act 2023, subjecting them to the legal framework regarding foreign power threat activity.

The order applies to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), and the Russian GRU Volunteer Corps.

By listing these entities in a new Schedule 6A of the Act, the Secretary of State triggers specific national security offences and investigative powers related to these groups throughout the United Kingdom.

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The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 (Commencement and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026

Commenced the remaining sections of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 and established a phased implementation schedule for marine resource collection notices.


These Regulations bring the remaining sections of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 into legal effect on 9 August 2026.

The instrument activates statutory requirements for the collection, utilization, and disclosure of marine genetic resources, while establishing a phased transitional period for mandatory pre-collection notifications.

It applies to any 'relevant person' as defined by the Act who intends to collect biological material from areas outside national jurisdiction.

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The Marine Licensing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment etc.) Order 2026

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.

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The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 (Meaning of “Digital Sequence Information”) Regulations 2026

Published: Fri 15th May 26 Came into force: Fri 10th Jul 26

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.

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The European Communities (Immunities and Privileges of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) (Revocation) Regulations 2026

Published: Thu 14th May 26 Comes into force: Wed 31st Mar 27

The regulations revoked prior statutory instruments granting immunities and privileges to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, effective March 31, 2027.


These Regulations formally revoke older statutory instruments from 1985, 1999, and 2001 that conferred specific immunities and privileges upon the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission under previous European Communities law, exercising powers granted by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, with the revocation taking effect on March 31, 2027, to allow time for successor legislation to be enacted to maintain continuity.

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