Summary and Background Implementation in UK law of the Accession Treaty
7.In order to give effect in UK law to the Accession Treaty, the Act amends the definitions of “the treaties” and “the Community treaties” in the European Communities Act 1972 (c.68). In broad terms, this grants automatic effect to directly applicable Treaty provisions, and otherwise allows designated Ministers, under section 2(2) of the 1972 Act, to make regulations amending existing UK legislation, to the extent necessary to implement the Treaty.