Trade Legislation

Laws governing international trade, customs procedures, trade agreements, and commercial relations.

The Free Zone (Customs Site No. 2 Thames) Designation Order 2025

The 2025 Order designated Customs Site No. 2 Thames as a free zone, appointed a responsible authority, and imposed conditions for its operation.


The Free Zone (Customs Site No. 2 Thames) Designation Order 2025 designates a specific area at the Thames Freeport as a free zone for a 10-year period.

Cosco Shipping Crystal Logistics (UK) Company Limited was appointed as the responsible authority, subject to conditions encompassing record-keeping, security, access for HMRC officers, and health and safety.

The order leverages existing legislation to establish the free zone and aims to benefit trade and economic growth within the designated area.

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The Trade Marks (Isle of Man) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Thu 12th Jun 25 Came into force: Thu 10th Jul 25

The Order amended the Trade Marks (Isle of Man) Order 2013 to align with the UK Trade Marks Act 1994, specifically concerning protection of well-known trade marks and national emblems.


The Trade Marks (Isle of Man) (Amendment) Order 2025 amends the 2013 Order to reflect changes in UK trademark law.

Specifically, it modifies section 56 of the 1994 Act regarding the protection of well-known trademarks, incorporating references to the WTO agreement and making it more explicit.

The Order applies to England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man, and took effect on July 10, 2025.

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The Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Tue 10th Jun 25 Came into force: Tue 1st Jul 25

The 2025 regulations amended the 2018 Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) Regulations by changing payment percentages for branded medicines and adjusting the auditing process for presentation reports.


The Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 modify the 2018 regulations governing payments from manufacturers and suppliers of branded medicines.

Key changes include altering payment percentages for different periods and updating auditing requirements for presentation reports, allowing an alternative 'agreed upon' procedure instead of a full audit.

The amendments aim to improve efficiency, ensure fair payment, and streamline administrative processes.

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The Register of Overseas Entities (Annotation) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 6th Jun 25 Came into force: Mon 30th Jun 25

The registrar was granted new powers to annotate the register of overseas entities regarding dissolved entities and non-compliance with information requests.


The Register of Overseas Entities (Annotation) Regulations 2025 empower the registrar to add notes to the register concerning dissolved overseas entities or those that have failed to comply with information requirements.

These annotations enhance transparency and aid enforcement of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 and the Companies Act 2006.

The regulations extend to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and came into effect on June 30, 2025.

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The Communications Act 2003 (Restrictions on the Advertising of Less Healthy Food) (Effective Date) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The regulations amended the Communications Act 2003, delaying the effective date of restrictions on advertising less healthy food and drink to January 5, 2026.


These regulations amend the Communications Act 2003, delaying the implementation of restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink.

The effective date is pushed back from October 1, 2025, to January 5, 2026.

The changes affect several sections of the Act, specifically those outlining the objectives for such advertisements and the prohibition of paid advertising for less healthy food and drink.

An explanatory note references a full impact assessment conducted previously, explaining the lack of a new assessment for this amendment.

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The Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Mon 2nd Jun 25 Came into force: Wed 18th Jun 25

The 2025 regulations amended the 2022 Subsidy Control Regulations to reduce the information requirements for public authority entries in the subsidy database relating to subsidies given under subsidy schemes.


The Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2022 regulations, lessening the information needed for public authority subsidy database entries concerning subsidies provided under existing schemes.

This change aims to reduce the administrative burden on public authorities.

The amendment exempts certain data points while maintaining overall reporting of subsidies.

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The Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Wed 21st May 25 Came into force: Thu 26th Jun 25

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.

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The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2025

Published: Tue 20th May 25 Came into force: Wed 21st May 25

The 2025 regulations amended UK legislation to remove Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 from the list of controlled persistent organic pollutants.


The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2025 amend Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, removing Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 from Annex 1's list of controlled substances.

The regulations were enacted by the Secretary of State with consent from the Scottish and Welsh Ministers and came into force immediately upon enactment.

An impact assessment is available online.

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