UK's EU Withdrawal Bill becomes law after Royal Assent

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

A bill which will translate EU law into U.K. law has finally become an act of parliament as it received royal assent Tuesday, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow announced.

The EU Withdrawal Act -- the bill’s name after the queen agreed it will become law -- aims to change all EU law currently in place in the country into local legislation in a bid to achieve a smooth Brexit.

“The EU Withdrawal Bill receiving Royal Assent is a historic moment for our country and a significant step towards delivering on the will of the British people,” Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted.

With the new act, around 20,000 pieces of legislation will be translated into British law.

The bill has been debated for months in the House of Commons and House of Lords with numerous attempts to amend it to give parliament a “meaningful vote” on the final Brexit deal, which is still to be reached between Britain and the EU.

The new act will repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, which put European law above laws made by the British parliament as the country joined the European Economic Community (EEC).

The U.K. is set to leave the bloc in March 2019.