Scottish Government's Policy to align with EU Law

Overview

The Scottish Government has a commitment to align with EU law, where appropriate. The CEEAC Committee commissioned Dr Lisa Whiten, Queen’s University Belfast, to produce an EU law tracker to assist the Scottish Parliament in scrutinising the Scottish Government’s commitment to align.

Dr Whitten’s third report[1] states that the potential for divergence between the law which applies in Scotland and EU law increases over time as the two legal orders and regulatory regimes continue to develop separately after Brexit.  

The Committee’s role is to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s policy commitment to align with EU law in devolved policy areas. The Committee would welcome your views on–

• the extent to which the policy commitment is being delivered, including specific examples of alignment and/or divergence from EU law in devolved areas;
• the degree to which the policy is being delivered either by alignment with specific EU legal provisions (‘legislative alignment’) and/or alignment with the general or overall policy direction of the EU (‘policy alignment’). The impact of each approach, for example, on trade in goods.
• the delivery of the alignment commitment in the following areas identified in the EU Law tracker report -

1. Regulation (EU) 2016/429, the Animal Health Law;
2. Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 concerning the use and sale of biocidal products;
3. Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls regarding agri-food goods and EU plant and animal health rules;
4. Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants.

• the impact of the alignment policy on Scottish businesses, including whether or not it has facilitated improved trade between Scotland and the EU.

How to submit your views

Please submit your views using the online submission form, linked to below.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

The call for views closes on 04 December 2024.