Foreign Policy Legislation

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

The Social Security (Residence in an EEA State or Switzerland) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Social Security (Residence in an EEA State or Switzerland) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 modify existing social security regulations concerning Invalid Care Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component for individuals residing in an EEA State or Switzerland.

These Regulations allow individuals who were in receipt of the relevant benefit provision under an applicable EU Regulation on December 31, 2020, to continue receiving those specific entitlements, provided they have maintained continuous receipt since that date and have not subsequently been habitually resident in the UK.

The Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions (Overseas Territories) Order 2025

This Order in Council extends the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025, along with relevant provisions of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, to eleven specified British overseas territories starting on October 16, 2025.

The extension applies with specific modifications detailed in Schedule 2, which primarily substitute references from UK bodies like the Treasury or Secretary of State with the respective Territory's Governor for the administration of sanctions, including designating persons, issuing licences, and enforcing immigration and financial restrictions related to combating people smuggling and trafficking.

The Iran (Sanctions) (Nuclear) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Tue 30th Sept 25

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, amend the existing Iran (Sanctions) (Nuclear) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 to align UK law with updated United Nations Security Council obligations, particularly those derived from Resolution 2231 (2015).

The amendments update interpretations of relevant UN resolutions, modify the scope of prohibited trade in nuclear and missile-related items, and introduce specific exceptions to asset freeze and financial prohibitions to facilitate the satisfaction of obligations owed by the Treasury concerning Treasury debt, ensuring these actions remain compliant with the new sanctions framework.

The Aviation Security (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025

The Aviation Security (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025, effective October 31, 2025, amend existing UK aviation security legislation.

Specifically, the regulations remove Chapter 9 (airport supplies) from Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998.

These changes aim to streamline security processes, and a full impact assessment was deemed unnecessary due to the anticipated lack of significant consequences on any sector.

The Response to the Committee on Climate Change Report (Extension of Period) Order 2025

The Response to the Committee on Climate Change Report (Extension of Period) Order 2025 extends the deadline for the UK government's response to the Committee on Climate Change's 2025 report from October 15th, 2025, to October 29th, 2025.

The order cites the need to allow sufficient time for a thorough response to the report's recommendations.

It was made under the powers granted by sections 37(5) and 90(3)(a) of the Climate Change Act 2008 and applies to the whole of the United Kingdom.

The Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) Regulations 2025

These regulations amend the Enterprise Act 2002 to create exceptions within the merger control regime for newspaper enterprises involving foreign powers.

They introduce specific circumstances under which a foreign power's holding of shares or voting rights in a newspaper owner does not constitute control or influence, primarily focusing on situations involving state-owned investors with limited holdings and associated persons with minimal ownership stakes.

The changes aim to streamline the merger review process while addressing concerns around foreign influence.

The Nuclear Installations (Compensation for Nuclear Damage) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Nuclear Installations (Compensation for Nuclear Damage) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to implement the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC).

The amendments remove a lower liability cap for claims under the CSC, unifying the liability limit with the one applied under the Paris Convention.

This increase in potential compensation is aimed at better protecting victims of nuclear incidents while aligning UK law with international standards.

Consequential changes across several sections of the 1965 Act ensure consistency and functionality in managing compensation claims.

The OTC Derivatives Risk Mitigation and Central Counterparties (Equivalence) (Switzerland) Regulations 2025

Published: Mon 21st Jul 25

The OTC Derivatives Risk Mitigation and Central Counterparties (Equivalence) (Switzerland) Regulations 2025, effective January 1, 2026, establish equivalence between the UK and Swiss regulatory frameworks for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives and central counterparties (CCPs).

These regulations determine that under specified conditions, Switzerland's legal, supervisory, and enforcement systems are equivalent to the UK's under EMIR, specifically concerning risk mitigation techniques for uncleared OTC derivatives and the oversight of Swiss-authorized CCPs.

These equivalencies are subject to conditions detailed within the regulations, ensuring compliance with UK standards for initial and variation margin requirements, among other stipulations.