The implementation period
The UK and the EU have agreed that the UK’s exit will be followed by a time-limited implementation period, which will last until 11.00 p.m. on 31 December 2020 (‘IP completion day’). The Act also provides in section 33 that the UK may not agree to an extension of the implementation period in the Joint Committee. During the implementation period, common rules will remain in place, with EU (also known as Union) law continuing to apply to the UK under the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.
	Therefore, new pieces of directly applicable EU law that are introduced during the implementation period will continue to apply automatically within the UK, in line with Part 4 of the Withdrawal Agreement. Other new EU measures introduced will need to continue to be implemented domestically to comply with Part 4 of the Withdrawal Agreement.