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 develop UK Common Frameworks. Frameworks ensure a common approach is taken where powers have returned from the EU which intersect with policy areas of devolved competence.

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.

Individual Common Frameworks are developed by policy departments across the UK Government together with their devolved administration counterparts. Since the end of the transition period most UK Common Frameworks have been operating on an interim basis across the UK at official level, which reflects established ways of working between the administrations. Once a UK Common Framework has undergone initial joint UKG-DA policy development, it is provisionally approved by all relevant Ministers. The Framework will then be published to allow for any Parliamentary scrutiny to take place by committees in the UK Parliament and the devolved legislatures. Following any Parliamentary scrutiny Frameworks will be reviewed, updated, and receive final Ministerial clearance prior to being re-published.

The below Common Frameworks have been approved by Ministers across the UK Government and devolved administrations. These Frameworks have undergone parliamentary scrutiny from interested committees in the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures. These Frameworks may continue to be jointly updated by UK Government and devolved administration Ministers.