Brexit

Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis

Introduction

The Brexit transition period ended at 11 pm on 31 December 2020. At this time (referred to in UK law as ‘IP completion day’), transitional arrangements ended and significant changes began to take effect across the UK’s legal regime. This overview was prepared in the lead up to Brexit and is maintained for historical reference purposes. Much of the content linked within this overview has since been archived however key content that remains of interest to commercial practitioners includes:

  1. •

    Brexit collection

  2. •

    Brexit timeline

  3. •

    Brexit—introduction to the Withdrawal Agreement

  4. •

    Retained EU law and assimilated law

  5. •

    Retained EU law—flowchart [Archived]

Brexit—key steps and timeline

On 31 January 2020 (Exit Day), the UK ceased to be an EU Member State and entered an implementation period, during which it continued to be subject to EU law. Transitional provisions in the UK legislation implementing the Withdrawal Agreement, namely the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (EU(WA)A 2020) amended the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (EU(W)A 2018) so that EU law continued to take effect in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Existing user? Sign-in TAKE A FREE TRIAL
Powered by Lexis+®
Latest IP News

IP weekly highlights—2 October 2025

This week's edition of IP weekly highlights includes: a hand-picked summary of news analysis, updates and new content from the world of IP. These highlights focus on the key rights of copyright and associated rights, database rights, trade marks and passing off, designs, and patents as well as covering issues relating to confidential information, know-how R&D and IP disputes.

Damages inquiry in trade mark infringement—economic benefits approach preferred over comparables analysis (Merck KGaA v Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC)

IP analysis: The High Court ruled on a rare inquiry into damages following breach of contract and trade mark infringement, holding that: (1) it was appropriate to award damages based on a notional licence fee; (2) that the evidence provided meant that a comparable licence analysis was not a reliable basis for assessing the notional licence value; and that (3) in that context, the appropriate valuation basis was the economic benefits approach. Applying the economic benefits approach, the court calculated the notional licence fee based on the licensee's (ie the defendant's) avoided operating costs (including website, social media and marketing costs), adjusted for inflation and discounting using a 4% discount rate. This decision provides helpful guidance for practitioners on damages quantification methodologies in trade mark infringement cases, particularly highlighting the evidential requirements when seeking to rely on a comparables analysis and the practical application of the economic benefits approaches. Written by Charlotte Peach, senior associate at Taylor Wessing LLP.

US judge gives green light to 'historic' USD 1.5bn Anthropic copyright deal

Law360: A California federal judge on 25 September 2025 preliminarily approved a USD 1.5bn deal Anthropic PBC struck with authors to end their copyright class action against the artificial intelligence developer, with counsel for the plaintiffs calling it a 'historic settlement' that will result in the 'largest copyright recovery of all time'.

IPO launches national campaign highlighting counterfeit toy safety risks

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a national consumer awareness campaign titled 'Fake Toys: Real Harms' to highlight safety risks posed by counterfeit toys. Enforcement agencies have seized 259,000 counterfeit toys worth £3.5m at UK borders in 2025, with three in four failing basic safety checks. The seized items included Labubu dolls presenting choking hazards and dangerous chemical content, action figures containing toxic paint, and electronic toys with loose battery components. The campaign aims to address consumer behaviour, as research indicates that while 92% of consumers know about counterfeit products, only 27% consider safety standards when purchasing, with 70% prioritising price over safety. The initiative provides guidance on identifying counterfeit toys through price verification, seller authentication, safety mark inspection, and reporting procedures for suspected counterfeits to Trading Standards and online marketplaces.

View IP by content type :  
News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Popular documents

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the current registered owner? Or does the informal exoneration only apply to the parties to the document which informally exonerated the rentcharge?This Q&A considers the situation where, at some

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of case

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of caseA strike out order can be made either following an application by the parties or on the court's own initiative. This Practice Note deals with the scenario of the order being made following a party's application.Making an application

Glossary—Latin legal terms

Glossary—Latin legal termsDespite attempts in recent years to simplify the language used in legal cases, there are still a number of Latin phrases commonly used in personal injury claims. The following Latin phrases are listed in alphabetical order:Latin
Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the current registered owner? Or does the informal exoneration only apply to the parties to the document which informally exonerated the rentcharge?This Q&A considers the situation where, at some

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of case

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of case

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of caseA strike out order can be made either following an application by the parties or on the court's own initiative. This Practice Note deals with the scenario of the order being made following a party's application.Making an application

Glossary—Latin legal terms

Glossary—Latin legal terms

Glossary—Latin legal termsDespite attempts in recent years to simplify the language used in legal cases, there are still a number of Latin phrases commonly used in personal injury claims. The following Latin phrases are listed in alphabetical order:Latin