The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has recently published its March 2013 'Gold-plating review' as a Report on the Operation of the Transposition Principles in the Government’s Guiding Principles for EU Legislation. The Report covers 88 proposals to implement EU measures over the eighteen-month period, from 1 July 2011 to 31 December 2012.
In my view, the Report clearly shows resistance to the prompt incorporation of EU Law into the UK legal system, as clearly indicated by the fact that "in 95% of cases over the eighteen-month period Departments have implemented on or after the transposition deadline, with only four examples where Departments sought agreement to implement measures early" (emphasis added).
Most remarkably, the UK Government is not shy to acknowledge the infringement of EU Law that belated transposition implies. And this should be worrying, not least because it can trigger the initiation of infringement procedures by the European Commission.
In my view, it is legitimate for Member States to take advantage of the transposition periods as they consider in their best interest. But it cannot be in the (national) public interest to breach EU Law by belatedly transposing Directives into the UK legal system. Even taking into consideration the interest of the UK in eventually renegotiating its terms of membership of the EU, only an exquisite compliance strategy will build a solid negotiating platform.
Therefore, contrary to the generally positive conclusion of the Report, I think that the UK Government should implement an effective strategy to make sure that no Directive gets transposed after its transposition deadline. That is a clear requirement for the proper transposition of EU Law. And it should not be overseen.