The (Great) Repeal Bill will be published this Thursday, 13
July.
While we wait for the GRB to appear, we will return to our
mini-series looking at particular elements of the 'acquis
communautaire' (the 'body of EU law') which the GRB
will transpose into UK law.
Now, ask the man in the street to give an example of EU law, and
the chances are he'll talk about EU Regulations –
possibly a specific one laying down quality standards for bananas.
EU Regulations are made by the European Commission or the
European Council (individually or with the European Parliament)
– the former outnumber the latter roughly 2:1 – and
there are currently about 5,400 of them (plus some 2,200 delegated
and implementing regulations). Commission regulations are generally
of an implementing, administrative and technical nature, and cover
a huge range of subjects: product standards and classifications,
health and safety conditions, inspection rules, authorizations for
marketed products and
