Channel Tunnel Act 1987

10 Incorporation of part of the tunnel system into the United Kingdom and general application of law

(1) The land comprising the tunnel system as far as the frontier, so far as not forming part of the United Kingdom before the passing of this Act, shall, as it becomes occupied by or on behalf of the Concessionaires working from England, together with so much of the surrounding subsoil as is necessary for the security of the part of the system so occupied, be incorporated into England and form part of the district of Dover in the county of Kent, and the law of England shall apply accordingly.

(2) Subsections (3) and (4) below apply if any part of the tunnel system constructed by or on behalf of the Concessionaires working from England ("the English section") extends beyond the frontier before it effectively joins the part of the tunnel system constructed by or on behalf of the Concessionaires working from France ("the French section") and subsections (5) to (7) below apply if the converse case occurs.

Any land comprising any such part of the English or (as the case may be) of the French section is referred to in those subsections as a cross-frontier extension of that section.

(3) Until the English section effectively joins the French section, any cross-frontier extension of the English section shall be treated as being in England and, except for rating purposes, as forming part of the county of Kent and the law of England shall apply there.

(4) When the English section effectively joins the French section, the law of England shall continue to apply in relation to things done or omitted while the cross-frontier extension was treated by virtue of subsection (3) above as being in England and any proceedings may be brought or continued, any punishment may be imposed and carried out and any remedy may be granted and enforced in respect of such things accordingly.

(5) Subject to subsection (6) below, until the English section effectively joins the French section, no part of the law of England that would otherwise apply in relation to things done or omitted in, over or under the bed of the sea above any cross-frontier extension of the French section shall apply in relation to anything done or omitted in that extension or in so much of the surrounding subsoil as is necessary for the security of that extension.

(6) Subsection (5) above shall not exclude the application of any enactment or rule of law that applies irrespective of the country or territory in which any acts or omissions with which it is concerned take place.

(7) On the date on which the English section effectively joins the French section, section 7 of this Act and subsection (1) above shall apply to the cross-frontier extension of the French section as if it had become occupied on that date by or on behalf of the Concessionaires working from England.

(8) For the purposes of this section, the date on which the English section effectively joins the French section shall be taken to be such date as the Secretary of State may by order certify as being that date.