Legal and Guidance Update July 2024

It has been a turbulent month given the recent election, and we fully expect major changes to come in the following months and we will endeavour to keep you updated. In July, we sent out a full update to our subscribed users, including Primary and Secondary legislation. Of particular interest was the following:

Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024

The Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 modernises and streamlines the process for developing significant infrastructure projects in Wales by establishing a unified infrastructure consenting process. This facilitates faster decision-making for major infrastructure projects both on land and in territorial waters, promoting consistency and enhancing Wales’ capability to deliver and develop infrastructure effectively. The Act specifies guidelines for what constitutes a “significant infrastructure project” and outlines procedures for obtaining necessary consents, ensuring that projects are managed efficiently from conception through approval. This legislation aims to boost economic growth and improve the environmental sustainability of infrastructure projects throughout Wales​.

The Waste (Materials Facilities) (Scotland) Regulations 2024

The Waste (Materials Facilities) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 introduce updated requirements for waste materials facilities in Scotland, aiming to enhance environmental protection and waste management practices. These regulations specify more rigorous sampling and testing of waste materials to ensure compliance with environmental standards. Additionally, they align closely with existing regulations under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012 and the Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011, ensuring a unified regulatory framework. The regulations also define exemptions for smaller-scale operations to balance regulatory oversight with operational feasibility for smaller businesses.

European Union (Restrictive Measures Against Cyber – Attacks Threatening the Union or its Member States) (No.2) Regulations 2024

The European Union (Restrictive Measures Against Cyber-Attacks Threatening the Union or its Member States) (No.2) Regulations 2024 enforce the EU’s sanctions framework that targets cyber-attacks. These regulations ensure the execution of measures outlined in Council Regulation (EU) 2019/796, which seeks to mitigate threats from cyber-attacks against the EU or its member states. Notably, these regulations detail penalties for non-compliance, such as significant fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach.

Key elements of the regulations include:

• Definitions and explanations align with those in the original Council Regulation.
• Violations of specified provisions from the Council Regulation are criminal offenses.
• Stringent penalties for non-compliance, including financial penalties and imprisonment.
• The Irish competent authorities can issue directives to enforce and administer these measures effectively.

This legislation is part of Ireland’s ongoing commitment to supporting EU-wide efforts to improve cybersecurity and manage cyber threats more effectively​.

New legislation published in July 2024 that has been added:

• 3 New Acts and Primary Legislation
• 6 New Regulations and Orders
• 7 New Amendments to existing Regulations and Orders
• 1 New Bill
• 1 New Standard
• 6 New ‘other’ guidance updates