FAOLEX Database

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Country Profiles

Policies

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution.
Date of text: 01 January 2025
Blueprint for Halting and Reversing Biodiversity Loss: the UK’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2030.
Date of text: 2025
Marine strategy part three: 2025 UK programme of measures.
Date of text: 2025
Policy paper - 30by30 on land in England: confirmed criteria and next steps.
Date of text: 29 October 2024
Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029.
Date of text: 2024

Legislation

Agricultural and rural development

Agriculture Act 2020 (Chapter 21).
Date of text: 11 November 2020
Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020 (Chapter 2 of 2020).
Date of text: 30 January 2020
Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 Chapter 19).
Date of text: 09 May 2016
Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (2016 Chapter 14).
Date of text: 14 May 2014
Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 (Regulations originating from the EU).
Date of original text: 17 December 2013 (24 February 2025)

Climate change

Climate Change Act 2008 (Chapter 27 of 2008).
Date of original text: 26 September 2008 (26 December 2023)
Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 (2019 Asp 12).
Date of text: 31 October 2019
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 (Chapter 19 of 2006).
Date of text: 21 June 2006
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 (SI 2024 No. 1366).
Date of text: 18 December 2024
The Carbon Accounting (Determination of Excess UK Assigned Amount Units) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023 No. 557).
Date of text: 25 May 2023

Cultivated plants

Plant Varieties Act 1997.
Date of original text: 27 November 1997 (15 March 2022)
Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964 (Chapter 14).
Date of original text: 12 March 1964 (13 December 2022)
The Plant Health (Phytosanitary Conditions) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020 No. 1527).
Date of text: 31 December 2020
Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
Date of text: 23 March 2023
Pesticides Act 1998 (Chapter 26).
Date of text: 09 September 1998

Disaster risk management

Coronavirus Act 2020 (Chapter 7).
Date of text: 25 March 2020
Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (2004, Chapter 36).
Date of text: 18 November 2004
Payments to Farmers (Controls and Checks) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 (W.S.I. No. 531 (W. 125) of 2020).
Date of text: 21 May 2020
England; Wales: Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (Chapter 36).
Date of original text: 1984 (02 April 2020)
Wales: Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (W.S.I. No. No. 353 (W. 80) of 2020).
Date of text: 26 March 2020

Environment

Environment Act 1995 (Chapter 25).
Date of original text: 19 July 1995 (01 May 2021)
Environment Act 2021 (Chapter 30).
Date of text: 09 November 2021
Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Chapter 43).
Date of original text: 01 November 1990 (23 October 2019)
Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 (c. 10).
Date of original text: 24 May 1990 (22 July 2020)
Environmental Better Regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 Chapter 13).
Date of text: 11 April 2016

Fisheries and aquaculture

Fisheries Act 2020 (Chapter 22).
Date of text: 23 November 2020
Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Legislation Originating from the EU).
Date of original text: 20 June 2019 (01 April 2024)
Sea Fish Licensing (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2012 (No. X of 2012).
Date of text: 10 July 2012
Sea Fisheries (Jersey) Law 1994.
Date of original text: 09 November 1993 (13 May 2017)
Fisheries Act 1981 (Chapter 29).
Date of original text: 02 July 1981 (24 May 2018)

Food and nutrition

Food Standards Act 1999 (Chapter 28).
Date of original text: 11 November 1999 (01 September 2018)
Coronavirus Act 2020 (Chapter 7).
Date of text: 25 March 2020
Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 (Chapter 19).
Date of original text: 25 April 2013 (01 April 2014)
Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (Chapter 17).
Date of text: 19 July 2007
School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (Chapter 13).
Date of original text: 24 July 1998 (2013)

Forestry

Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018 (Commencement, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. No. 47 (C. 1) of 2019).
Date of text: 13 February 2019
Timber and Timber Products and FLEGT (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 1025 of 2018).
Date of text: 21 September 2018
Forestry (Felling of Trees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 (S.R. No. 139 of 2013).
Date of text: 15 May 2013
Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 233 of 2013).
Date of text: 06 February 2013
Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 178 of 2012).
Date of text: 25 January 2012

Gender

Equality Act 2010 (Chapter 15).
Date of original text: 08 April 2010 (11 February 2022)

Land and soil

Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (Chapter 67).
Date of original text: 30 October 1981 (29 October 2020)
Coast Protection Act, 1949 (Cap. 74).
Date of original text: 24 November 1949 (25 February 2020)
Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (2017, Chapter 20).
Date of text: 27 April 2017
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Act 2013 (2013 asp 11).
Date of text: 31 July 2013
Planning and Energy Act 2008 (2008 Cap. 21).
Date of text: 13 November 2008

Livestock

Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 2033 of 2013).
Date of original text: 06 August 2013 (25 April 2024)
Pet Abduction Act 2024 (chapter 16).
Date of text: 24 May 2024
Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024.
Date of text: 20 May 2024
Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.
Date of text: 23 March 2023
Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.
Date of text: 28 April 2022

Mineral resources and energy

Energy Act 2023 (2023 Chapter 52).
Date of text: 26 October 2023
Nuclear Energy (Financing) Act 2022.
Date of original text: 31 March 2022 (01 June 2022)
Energy Act 2016 (c. 20).
Date of text: 12 May 2016
Energy Act 2013 (2013 Cap. 32).
Date of text: 18 December 2013
Energy Act 2011 (2011 Cap. 16).
Date of text: 11 August 2011

Sea

Coast Protection Act, 1949 (Cap. 74).
Date of original text: 24 November 1949 (25 February 2020)
Marine Navigation Act 2013 (c. 23).
Date of text: 25 April 2013
Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Act 2006 (2006 Chapter 8).
Date of text: 30 March 2006
Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997 (c.28).
Date of text: 19 March 1997
Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c. 21).
Date of text: 19 March 1997

Social protection

Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 Chapter 19).
Date of text: 09 May 2016
Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Cap. 30).
Date of text: 26 March 2015

Water

Water Act 2014 (Chapter 21).
Date of original text: 14 May 2014 (19 August 2018)
Water Act 1989 (Chapter 15).
Date of original text: 06 July 1989 (31 March 2017)
Water (Scotland) Act 1980 (Chapter 45).
Date of original text: 01 August 1980 (27 October 2017)
Water Act, 1973.
Date of original text: 18 July 1973 (27 March 2009)
Water Resources Act 1963 (Chapter 38).
Date of original text: 31 July 1963 (26 June 1991)

Wild species and ecosystems

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Chapter 69).
Date of original text: 30 October 1981 (25 May 2020)
Environment Act 2021 (Chapter 30).
Date of text: 09 November 2021
Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein.
Date of original text: 09 December 1996 (02 June 2021)
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (Chapter 97).
Date of original text: 16 December 1949 (01 April 2019)
Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Fees) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 496 of 2009).
Date of original text: 31 December 2020 (03 March 2009)

Miscellaneous

Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Chapter 55).
Date of original text: 26 October 2023 (25 July 2024)
Planning Act 2008 (Cap. 29).
Date of text: 26 November 2008
Patents Act 1977 (1977 Chapter. 37).
Date of original text: 29 July 1997 (12 April 2021)
Trade Act 2021 (2021 c. 10).
Date of text: 29 April 2021
European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (2018 C.1).
Date of text: 23 January 2020

International Agreements

Treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda establishing a Maritime Boundary between Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda.
Date of text: 27 July 2021
UK-China joint statement on climate change.
Date of text: 17 June 2014
Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland establishing a Single Maritime Boundary between the Exclusive Economic Zones of the two countries and parts of their Continental Shelves.
Date of text: 31 March 2014

Member of:

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