UK Common Frameworks
UK government publications relating to the UK Common Frameworks programme.
Overview
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, the UK government has been working jointly with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to develop UK Common Frameworks. Frameworks ensure a common approach is taken where powers have returned from the EU which intersect with policy areas of devolved competence.
Frameworks are being developed in line with the principles for Common Frameworks agreed at the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) JMC in October 2017 between the UK government and Scottish and Welsh Governments. Following the formation of the Northern Ireland Executive, its Executive Committee endorsed the JMC(EN) Common Frameworks principles on 15 June 2020.
Individual Common Frameworks have been developed by policy departments across the UK government together with their devolved administration counterparts. Since the end of the transition period most UK Common Frameworks have been operating on an interim basis across the UK at official level, which reflects established ways of working between the administrations.
Once a UK Common Framework has undergone initial joint UKG-DA policy development, it is provisionally approved by all relevant Ministers. The Framework will then be published to allow for any Parliamentary scrutiny to take place by committees in the UK Parliament and the devolved legislatures. Following any Parliamentary scrutiny Frameworks will be reviewed, updated, and receive final Ministerial clearance prior to being re-published.
UK Common Frameworks
UK government departments have worked jointly with their devolved administration counterparts to develop each UK Common Framework. The below list includes all Common Frameworks that have been approved by Ministers across the UK government and devolved administrations, these are listed below under the lead UK government department.
These Frameworks have undergone parliamentary scrutiny from interested committees in the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures. These Frameworks may continue to be jointly updated by UK government and devolved administration Ministers.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
UK Common Frameworks (Provisional)
The below Common Frameworks have been provisionally approved by Ministers across the UK government and devolved administrations. All provisional frameworks have been shared with committees across UK Parliament and devolved legislatures to enable parliamentary scrutiny before final review. Later, these Frameworks will be approved by Ministers across the UK government and devolved administrations, and will appear in the above list.
Provisional Common Frameworks are listed below under the UK government department responsible for their development. UK government departments have worked jointly with their devolved administration counterparts to develop each Common Framework.
Department for Business and Trade
Cabinet Office
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Department for Health and Social Care
Department for Transport
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food Standards Agency
European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks Reports
Government responses to UK Parliamentary committee reports on Common Frameworks
Throughout the development and operation of UK Common Frameworks the UK Parliament has published various report on the wider Common Frameworks programme.
You can view the original parliamentary reports and the government’s responses to them on the Common Frameworks Scrutiny Committee parliamentary page.
Frameworks analysis and updates
Last updated 28 February 2023 + show all updates
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Added a link under the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy section for the page 'UK Emissions Trading Scheme: common framework'
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Added a link under Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs: Resources and waste: provisional common framework
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Added The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 September to 25 December 2021.
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Added the following provisional common frameworks: fisheries management and support, food compositional standards and labelling, and Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-gases).
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Added provisional common frameworks on: agricultural support, animal health and welfare, air quality, plant varieties and seeds, integrated pollution prevention and control, fertilisers, plant health, organics and chemicals and pesticides.
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Added provisional common frameworks for company law, late payments (commercial transactions) and radioactive substances.
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Added The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 June to 25 September 2021.
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Added The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 March to 25 June 2021.
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New provisional common frameworks published.
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Addition of 'The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 December 2020 to 25 March 2021'.
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Updated to include the following: 'Organs, Tissues and Cells, (apart from embryos and gametes): Provisional Common Framework', 'The Blood Safety and Quality Provisional Common Framework' and 'Food compositional standards and labelling: provisional common framework'.
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Updated to include "Public Procurement: Provisional Common Framework".
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Updated to included latest European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks statutory report.
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First published.