UK Common Frameworks

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, the UK Government is working jointly with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure a common approach is taken where needed on policy areas where powers are returning / have returned from the EU and which intersect with devolved competence, by developing UK Common Frameworks.

Frameworks are being developed in line with the principles for common frameworks agreed at the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) JMC in October 2017 between the UK Government and Scottish and Welsh Governments. Following the formation of the Northern Ireland Executive, its Executive Committee endorsed the JMC(EN) Common Frameworks principles on 15 June 2020.

After sufficient policy development, each UK Common Framework is provisionally approved by the relevant UK Government and devolved administration Portfolio Minister, and later by the JMC(EN) Ministers. Upon reaching provisional framework status, each framework is published and shared with legislatures to allow for parliamentary scrutiny. Post scrutiny the framework may be further developed before being published as a full framework.