Approach to the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020
The UK has a dualist legal system, in which an international treaty ratified by the Government, although binding in international law, does not alter the laws of the state unless and until the treaty is incorporated into domestic law by legislation. This means that the UK Parliament has to pass implementing legislation before an international treaty can have effect domestically.
	This Act is a necessary step in the process of ratifying the Agreements as international treaties.
	The principal purpose of the Act is to implement the Agreements. This is primarily done by way of detailed, specific provisions and amendments to existing legislation to meet the UK’s commitments under the Agreements. The Act also includes a general provision requiring existing domestic law to be modified to give effect to the Agreements, but only so far as necessary to implement the Agreements. The Act also provides a delegated power to be used to make further provision to give effect to the Agreements. In the event that the Agreements are not ratified and provisional application comes to an end, the Act enables the termination or suspension of domestic legal provisions that give effect to the Agreements.