Part 2: Overseas Electors and EU Citizens Overseas Electors Schedule 7: Overseas electors Part 2 - Transitional provision
Paragraph 12 defines terms that are used in Part 2.
	Paragraph 13 provides that applications for registration made in pursuance of an overseas elector’s declaration which are made prior to the date when section 10 comes fully into force ("the commencement date") will continue to be determined in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of the RPA 1985 as they exist prior to the commencement date. This includes applications that were made before the commencement date, but which are determined after the commencement date.
	Paragraph 14 makes transitional provisions for overseas electors who are registered in pursuance of an overseas elector’s declaration made before the commencement date, including those persons (described in paragraph 13) who were registered on or after the commencement date as the result of a declaration made before the commencement date.
	Sub-paragraph (2) provides that:
those overseas electors are treated on and after the commencement date as being registered on the basis of satisfying the previous registration condition within the meaning of new section 1A(2) of the RPA 1985 (as substituted by section 10(1)) in respect of the address specified in the pre-commencement declaration; and
subject to sub-paragraph (3), new sections 1D (Duration of entitlement to be registered) and 1E (Renewal Declaration) of the RPA 1985 have effect in respect of those overseas electors.
	Sub-paragraph (3) sets the length of the overseas elector’s registration entitlement. In accordance with sub-paragraph (3)(a), the registration entitlement lasts no longer than 12 months beginning from the date on which the overseas elector’s register entry first takes effect. However, where an overseas elector’s registration entitlement would otherwise expire on or after the commencement date but before the specified day, sub-paragraph (3)(b) extends that registration entitlement to the end of the specified day. For these purposes, sub-paragraph (4) defines "specified day" as a day specified by the Secretary of State by regulations.
	Paragraph 15 makes transitional provisions for registered overseas electors who have a postal vote in place immediately before the commencement date. This paragraph sets out that, where that postal vote entitlement would otherwise end after the date on which the elector’s registration entitlement ends as a result of paragraph 14, the postal vote entitlement ends at the same time as the registration entitlement (unless it ends sooner).
	Paragraph 16 makes transitional provisions for overseas electors who have made a postal vote application prior to the commencement date, but that application has not yet been determined by a registration officer on the commencement date. For these individuals, their postal vote arrangement (if granted) will last until:
the end of the period during which the overseas elector is entitled to be registered in pursuance of an overseas declaration in accordance with paragraph 14 (even if the application had originally asked for a longer period of postal vote entitlement),
or sooner, if a shorter period was specified in the application.
	Paragraph 17 enables the Minister to make regulations to supplement the transitional provisions set out in paragraphs 13 to 16. The regulations may make supplementary or incidental provision, and may make different provision for different purposes or areas. The regulations are to be made by statutory instrument under the negative resolution procedure.
	Paragraph 18 enables the Secretary of State to take appropriate steps in promoting awareness of the changes made by this Act to the overseas elector franchise amongst those who qualify, or are likely to qualify, as eligible to register to vote under the new rules as overseas electors.
	Subparagraphs (3) and (4) of paragraph 18 allows a limited category of persons to disclose information to the Secretary of State for the purposes of identifying those who are, or are likely to be, qualifying people and what information the Secretary of State may use for this purpose. Any disclosure of personal information must not contravene the data protection legislation (such as the Data Protection Act 2018).