United Kingdom: Amended "Brexit Freedoms" Bill

On 22 May 2023, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (often called the "Brexit Freedoms" Bill) was amended by the House of Lords. The Bill creates a framework regarding so-called retained EU law and its amendment, repeal, or assimilation into the UK legal system. The amendment of the House of Lords replaces, among other things, the automatic "sunset" on EU-derived subordinate legislation and direct legislation at the end of 2023, instead requiring such legislation to be specifically listed in a schedule. According to the Bill's accompanying explanatory note, it "will give effect to policies that were set out in the Benefits of Brexit Report published in January 2022 and the Government's announcement of the review into the substance and status of REUL in September 2021". According to that Report, the Government was planning reforms in several sectors of the digital economy, including in relation to data protection, competition, and artificial intelligence (AI).