Will the UK still have to adhere to EU regulations in case of Brexit?
The UK has said that it wants a free trade agreement with the EU that does not require it to align with EU regulations in future so it can enjoy regulatory autonomy after Brexit. The EU has proposed that the UK remains in step (‘dynamically aligned’) with EU rules on state aid and commits not to reduce standards of environmental or social protection to ensure fair competition. The outcome depends on the result of negotiations on the future relationship. However, under the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol, the UK has already committed Northern Ireland to staying aligned with EU rules on goods. It is also committed to applying EU state aid rules that affect trade between Northern Ireland and the EU single market.