Northern Ireland Act 1998

3 U.K. International relations, including relations with territories outside the United Kingdom, [F1 the European Union] (and their institutions) and other international organisations [F2 and extradition] , and international development assistance and co-operation, but not—

(a) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F4 (aa) co-operation between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Síochána with respect to any of the following matters—

(i) transfers, secondments, exchanges or training of officers;

(ii) communications (including liaison and information technology);

(iii) joint investigations;

(iv) disaster planning;]

(b) the exercise of legislative powers so far as required for giving effect to any agreement or arrangement entered into—

(i) by a Minister or junior Minister participating, by reason of [F5 any provision of section 52A or 52B] , in a meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council or the British-Irish Council; or

(ii) by, or in relation to the activities of, any body established for implementing, on the basis mentioned in paragraph 11 of Strand Two of the Belfast Agreement, policies agreed in the North-South Ministerial Council;

(c) observing and implementing international obligations [F6 and obligations under the Human Rights Convention].

In this paragraph “the Human Rights Convention” means the following as they have effect for the time being in relation to the United Kingdom—

(a) the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, agreed by the Council of Europe at Rome on 4th November 1950; and

(b) any Protocols to that Convention which have been ratified by the United Kingdom.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Act substituted (22.4.2011) by The Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1043), arts. 2, 3, 4 (with arts. 3(2)(3), 4(2), 6(4)(5))

F2 Words in Sch. 2 para. 3 inserted (11.3.2009) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31, Sch. 4 para. 12(a); S.I. 2009/448, art. 2

F3 Sch. 2 para. 3(a) repealed (11.3.2009) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1)(2), 31, Sch. 4 para. 12(b), Sch. 5; S.I. 2009/448, art. 2

F4 Sch. 2 para. 3(aa) inserted (11.3.2009) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31, Sch. 4 para. 12(c); S.I. 2009/448, art. 2

F5 Words in Sch. 2 para. 3(b)(i) substituted (8.5.2007) by Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 (c. 53), ss. 2(2), 19, 27(4)(5) (as amended by Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007 (c. 4), s. 1(1)), {Sch. 7 para. 4(2)} (with s. 1(3)); S.I. 2007/1397, art. 2

F6 Words in Sch. 2 para. 3(c) substituted (31.12.2020) by European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16), s. 25(4), Sch. 3 para. 60(2) (with s. 19, Sch. 8 para. 37); S.I. 2020/1622, reg. 3(l) (with reg. 10)