Trade Legislation
Laws governing international trade, customs procedures, trade agreements, and commercial relations.
The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective June 14th, 2025, amend the 1995 VAT Regulations to allow the Commissioners of His Majesty's Revenue and Customs to extend deadlines for final VAT returns.
This power applies to individuals ceasing VAT registration on or after June 14th, 2025, providing additional flexibility in specific circumstances.
The Phytosanitary Conditions (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Phytosanitary Conditions Regulation (EU 2019/2072) to update lists of quarantine and non-quarantine pests in Great Britain.
The amendments add *Pseudomonas avellanae* and *Neodiprion abietis* to the quarantine pest list, remove others from both quarantine and provisional quarantine lists, modify host plant lists, and revise import requirements for several plant species and products.
The changes aim to enhance plant health protection and align with international standards, with some provisions coming into effect on May 30th, 2025.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 1988 Regulations.
Key changes include removing certain baby and child products from the definition of "furniture," eliminating specific labeling requirements, and extending the time limit for legal proceedings related to fire safety offenses to twelve months.
The amendments aim to clarify the regulatory framework and reduce burdens on businesses, although concerns remain about potential impacts on fire safety and enforcement.
The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective May 20, 2025 (with some exceptions), extend several transitional periods related to post-Brexit official controls on food, feed, animal health, plant health, and plant protection products.
The amendments postpone deadlines in Annex 6 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, the Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) Regulations 2021, and the Official Controls (Plant Health) (Frequency of Checks) Regulations 2022, delaying stricter checks on certain imported goods until January 31, 2027.
These changes aim to ease the transition to the new regulatory framework.
The Public Procurement (Revocation) Regulations 2025 revoke several pieces of subordinate legislation and assimilated EU law concerning public procurement in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
These revocations are made under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, removing provisions considered no longer legally effective or relevant.
The regulations come into force 21 days after their enactment and specifically list revoked instruments in a schedule providing details on revocation extent.
The Energy (Euratom Decisions and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2025
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 Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 to add three national museums—in Merseyside, Northern Ireland, and Wales—to the list of institutions authorized to advise the Secretary of State on applications for exemption certificates under the Ivory Act 2018.
The amendment aims to improve the expertise and geographic reach of advice provided.
The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
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'.