Foreign Policy Legislation
Legislative framework for international relations, diplomatic affairs, treaties, and overseas development assistance.
The Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order 2025
The 2025 Order amended the 2014 Public Interest Disclosure Order to include sanctions-related functions of the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade, Transport, and the Treasury within the scope of whistleblower protection.
This Order modifies the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014 to extend whistleblower protection to individuals disclosing information about sanctions-related activities undertaken by the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade, Transport, and the Treasury.
This expansion ensures greater accountability and transparency within the government's sanctions regime.
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Social Security Co-ordination) (Compatibility) Regulations 2025
The regulations ensured compatibility between specified UK domestic legislation and assimilated EU direct legislation in the area of social security coordination.
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Social Security Co-ordination) (Compatibility) Regulations 2025, effective June 4, 2025, ensure the compatibility of UK domestic law with retained EU law concerning social security coordination.
Specifically, it mandates compatibility between several UK insolvency and debt arrangement acts and relevant articles of EU Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009, preserving international agreements on cross-border social security and debt recovery.
The Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) (Recognition of Qualifications) Order 2025
The Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) (Recognition of Qualifications) Order 2025 specified functions for the Scottish Ministers regarding the UK ENIC service for qualification recognition and enabled agency arrangements with a Minister of the Crown.
This Order, made under the Scotland Act 1998, specifies functions of the Scottish Ministers related to the UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC) for recognizing UK and non-UK qualifications.
It allows the Scottish Ministers to enter into agency arrangements with a Minister of the Crown to manage this service, including contracting and fee administration.
The functions are linked to international agreements on qualification recognition, such as the 1997 and 2019 Conventions.
The Order extends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and takes effect on July 1st, 2025.
The Aviation Security (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Aviation Security (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amended UK aviation security legislation by removing stipulations on aircraft security and air carrier mail and materials.
The Aviation Security (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective June 23, 2025, amend existing aviation security legislation.
Specifically, they remove Chapters 3 (aircraft security) and 7 (air carrier mail and air carrier materials) from Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998.
The regulations apply to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and were signed by Mike Kane, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.
The Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 Power Station (Amendment) Order 2025
The 2025 Order amended the Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 Power Station Order 2015 to clarify the definition of processed municipal solid waste.
The Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 Power Station (Amendment) Order 2025, effective April 28th, 2025, amends the 2015 Order.
It clarifies the definition of "processed municipal solid waste" within the 2015 Order by including waste types specified in several EU decisions (2000/532/EC, 2001/118/EC, 2001/119/EC, 2001/573/EC, and 2014/955/EU).
This change addresses an application for non-material change, aiming for better clarity in waste processing regulations within the power station's operation.
The Energy (Euratom Decisions and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2025
The regulations revoked 37 obsolete Euratom decisions and related miscellaneous provisions concerning energy, along with certain legacy transitional provisions related to environmental impact assessments.
The Energy (Euratom Decisions and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2025 revoke 37 obsolete instruments, mostly related to the UK's former Euratom membership.
These regulations also revoke legacy transitional provisions concerning environmental assessments for electricity and pipeline works.
The changes simplify UK energy law, remove redundant provisions, and align the legal framework with the post-Brexit regulatory environment.
The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amended the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, updated the definition of the Assad regime, revised stated purposes, altered designation criteria, and reduced the scope of sectoral sanctions to promote Syria's economic recovery.
The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2019 Syria sanctions regulations.
Key changes include updating the definition of the 'Assad regime', revising the regulations' stated purposes to include promoting Syrian peace and accountability for human rights abuses, and altering designation criteria for sanctioned individuals and entities.
The amendments also significantly reduce the scope of sanctions, particularly those limiting trade, financial services, and the aviation sector, to facilitate economic recovery in Syria.
The regulations remove obsolete provisions related to previous sanctions on the Syrian regime and replace references to 'Syrian regime person' with references to a newly defined 'Governing Authority of Syria'.
The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2025
The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2025 increased fees for Emergency Travel Documents and Emergency Passports.
The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2025, effective April 9th, 2025, amends the Consular Fees Order 2012.
It increases the fees for Emergency Travel Documents and Emergency Passports from £100 and £75 respectively to £125.
The Order applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and no significant impact on the public, private or voluntary sectors is anticipated.