Introduction Section 7: Duty to publish information about membership of the European Union etc
25. Section 7 creates a duty for the Secretary of State to publish a report which includes information about rights and obligations that arise under European Union law as a result of the UK's membership of the European Union.
26. "Rights" refers to rights that the United Kingdom has as a member State, and also rights that are granted to individuals and organisations under EU law. This could include, for example, access to the single market.
27. "Obligations" refers to obligations arising under EU law that apply to the UK as a member State, to organisations or to individuals. For example, this could include the obligation on the UK as a member state to amend national law to implement EU law in particular areas.
28. The duty does not require that every such right and obligation is detailed: the purpose of the reports under sections 6 and 7 is to provide information to the general public which is relevant and useful in the context of the referendum. There is no restriction on what the report can contain: as well as the content required by the duty, it can contain other material.
29. The duty also requires the Secretary of State to include in the report examples of arrangements that other countries have with the European Union where they are not members of the EU. The duty leaves discretion as to the number and identity of countries covered as examples.
30. Under subsections (2) and (3), the report must be published before the period of 10 weeks ending with the date of the referendum. The duty leaves discretion as to the manner of publication, but the Secretary of State is obliged by subsection (4) to lay a copy of the published report before Parliament.