The U.K.'s Department for Exiting the EU has published a further Brexit white paper, entitled: "Legislating for the Withdrawal Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union." The paper describes the Bill that will implement the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement in the U.K. The Bill, which must pass before exit day (March 29, 2019) will only be introduced once Parliament has approved the finalized Withdrawal Agreement as required under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. In the paper, the Government sets out how it envisages the Bill will implement the U.K.'s withdrawal and provides detail on those parts of the draft Withdrawal Agreement that have been agreed so far: citizens' rights, the implementation period and the negotiated financial settlement. The final provisions of the Bill will be subject to the final terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. The paper also sets out the procedures for Parliament's approval of the terms of the final Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government confirms that in tandem it is preparing for a "hard Brexit" and will continue to prepare legislation for that outcome as well as for the end of the implementation period. The paper notes that Parliament is already scrutinizing the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) and Trade Bills and that the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering, Nuclear Safeguards and Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Acts have already been passed. The Government foresees that secondary legislation will continue to be made under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in the period leading up to exit day.

Legislation implementing the agreed future relationship between the EU and the U.K. will be made separately. That legislation falls within the scope of the white paper published by the DxEU on July 12, 2018.

The Government welcomes comments on the paper.

View the white paper.

View details of other Brexit-related developments, including the white paper on the future relationship and the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018.