Purpose: This newsletter summarises key legal developments published between 1st and 31st December 2025. It focuses on changes in Quality, Environment, Health & Safety, and Information Security legislation that could impact your organisation.
For queries about your legal register or compliance obligations, contact legalregister.support@avisoconsultancy.co.uk.
Upcoming Legislation
The following legal texts have been published but are due to come into force after December 2025:
- Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (ESG Ratings) Order 2025
- Effective: 29 June 2028
- Brings ESG ratings providers within UK financial services regulation. Providers must be authorised by the FCA, comply with governance and transparency rules, and are subject to ongoing supervision. Financial services firms must ensure ESG ratings are sourced from authorised providers and disclose sources in client communications.
- Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Amends the UK’s extended producer responsibility regime for packaging. Clarifies producer definitions, introduces modulated fees based on recyclability, and strengthens reporting and labelling requirements. Producers and compliance schemes must update data, contracts, and processes to reflect new obligations.
- Clean Heat Market Mechanism (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 12 December 2025 (main provisions), with new low-carbon heat targets from 1 April 2026
- Refines the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, increasing low-carbon heat installation targets and updating certification requirements. Manufacturers must comply with revised targets, use the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and adapt to new reporting and credit trading rules.
- Biocidal Products (Data Protection Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 30 December 2025
- Extends the maximum data protection period for studies supporting active substance approvals under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation to 31 December 2030. Applicants and authorisation holders must review arrangements and ensure compliance with revised requirements.
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 December 2025
- Commences new statutory requirements for digital verification services, including transparency, accountability, and data minimisation. Organisations must update data governance and access procedures, and ensure staff are trained on new obligations.
- Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 16 December 2025
- Updates technical requirements and conformity assessment for radio equipment in Northern Ireland, ensuring ongoing alignment with EU law. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors must comply with revised requirements for documentation, labelling, and market surveillance.
Significant Amendments
These are amendments to existing legislation or regulations:
- The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 30 December 2025
- Grants time-limited derogations for the use of halon 1211 in specific Defence and Loganair aircraft. Operators must maintain records, submit annual reports, and comply with strict conditions.
- The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 8 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 2 December 2025
- Implements changes to compulsory purchase procedures, including online publicity and transitional arrangements for ongoing projects.
Next Steps
- Review internal policies and compliance registers in light of these changes.
- Monitor for further guidance, especially on phased implementations and secondary legislation.
- For support, contact AvISO’s legal register team.
