Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the European Communities and the European Union


This is a list of current, amended, spent and repealed Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to its former membership of the European Communities and the European Union from 1972 to 2020.
Some of the Acts represent some of the most important constitutional legislation formerly or currently on the statue book.

Act of United Kingdom accession and membership to the European Communities / European Union

ActChapter Royal AssentCurrent status
European Communities Act 197217 October 1972Repealed

This Act legislated for the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities which later became the European Union and also gave legal effect to European Union Law which came into effect on 1 January 1973, the day the UK officially joined.
Although the Act was repealed by the European Union Act 2018 upon the UK's withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020, most of its provisions remain in effect via Section 1A of the Withdrawal Act until the end of the Brexit transition period, scheduled for 31 December 2020.

Amending Acts

Finance Acts

These Acts also amend the 1972 Act.

Act related to the 1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum

ActChapter Royal AssentCurrent status
Referendum Act 1975338 May 1975Repealed

This Act legislated for the holding of the United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum which was held on Thursday 5 June 1975.

Act related to the European Economic Area

This Act incorporated the agreement which created the European Economic Area which came into effect on 1 January 1994.

Acts related to the European Assembly / Parliament

These Acts legislated for the holding of European Parliament elections within the United Kingdom.

European Union Act & amending Acts

This Act amended the 2002 Act and legislated for the requirement of a UK-wide referendum for any approval of any proposed transfers of power to the EU.

Acts related to the European Union Act 2011

This Act approves under the European Union Act 2011 the creation of the European Stability Mechanism for Eurozone states and approves for Macedonia to become an observer in the work of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

Accession Acts

These Acts legislated for subsequent enlargements of the European Communities/European Union.

Acts related to and incidental to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union

ActChapter Royal AssentCurrent statusNotes
European Union Referendum Act 20153617 December 2015SpentThis Act required the holding of the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum no later than 31 December 2017, and was duly held on Thursday 23 June 2016.
European Union Act 201716 March 2017SpentThis Act authorises the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to notify the European Union of the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, in pursuance of and subsequent to the case of R v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union|R v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
European Union Act 201826 June 2018AmendedThis Act legislates to enable the implementation of the country's exit from the European Union and automatically repeals the European Communities Act 1972 on "exit day" – defined in the legislation as 29 March 2019 which was later revised by secondary legislation first to 31 October 2019 and then finally 31 January 2020.
European Union Act 202023 January 2020CurrentThis Act confirms the 31 January 2020 withdrawal date and also ratifies the revised version of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The Act also saves the effect of the European Communities Act 1972 after the withdrawal date and legally binds changes to EU law until the end of the implementation period.