European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020

Other matters

33 Prohibition on extending implementation period

After section 15 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (publication and rules of evidence) insert—

“15A Prohibition on extending implementation period

A Minister of the Crown may not agree in the Joint Committee to an extension of the implementation period.”

34 Ministerial co-chairs of the Joint Committee

After section 15A of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (prohibition on extending implementation period) (for which see section 33 above) insert—

“15B Ministerial co-chairs of the Joint Committee

The functions of the United Kingdom’s co-chair of the Joint Committee, under Annex VIII of the withdrawal agreement (rules of procedure of the Joint Committee and specialised committees), are to be exercised personally by a Minister of the Crown (and, accordingly, only a Minister of the Crown may be designated as a replacement under Rule 1(3)).”

35 No use of written procedure in the Joint Committee

After section 15B of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (ministerial co-chairs of the Joint Committee) (for which see section 34 above) insert—

“15C No use of written procedure in the Joint Committee

(1) The United Kingdom’s co-chair of the Joint Committee may not consent to the Joint Committee using the written procedure provided for in Rule 9(1) of Annex VIII of the withdrawal agreement.

(2) In subsection (1) the reference to the United Kingdom’s co-chair of the Joint Committee includes a reference to any designee of the co-chair designated under Rule 1(3) of Annex VIII of the withdrawal agreement.”

36 Repeal of unnecessary or spent enactments

The following enactments are repealed—

(a) section 9 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (implementing the withdrawal agreement),

(b) sections 16 and 18 of that Act (spent duties in relation to environmental principles etc. and a customs arrangement),

(c) section 19 of that Act (future interaction with the law and agencies of the EU),

(d) Part 2 of Schedule 2 to that Act (implementing the withdrawal agreement),

(e) the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019 (provisions in connection with an extension under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union), and

(f) the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 (duties in connection with an extension under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union).

37 Arrangements with EU about unaccompanied children seeking asylum

In section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (family unity for those seeking asylum or other protection in Europe), for subsection (1) substitute—

“(1) A Minister of the Crown must, within the period of two months beginning with the day on which the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 is passed, lay before Parliament a statement of policy in relation to any future arrangements between the United Kingdom and the EU about—

(a) unaccompanied children, who make an application for international protection to a member State, coming to the United Kingdom where it is in their best interests to join a relative who—

(i) is a lawful resident of the United Kingdom, or

(ii) has made a protection claim which has not been decided, and

(b) unaccompanied children in the United Kingdom, who make a protection claim, going to a member State to join a relative there in equivalent circumstances.”