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The UK’s legal framework for market integration in services and devolved regulatory autonomy. A missed opportunity? Gary Simpson (7151012) PUREID: 662252296 Brexit United Kingdom Internal Market United Kingdom Internal Market Act market access market integration internal market mutual recognition reverse market access Windsor Framework Internal markets are moulded through choices—policy decisions made based on the idiosyncrasies of the structures and characteristics of the components of each market. They are shaped through the subjective perception of what a “successful” internal market entails in the mind of those charged with making such decisions. These choices materialise themselves in legal frameworks which manifest in the outcomes of those decisions and dictate the functioning of the internal market. The story of the United Kingdom (UK) internal market is one of trade-offs and design flaws. Trade-offs based on minimising disruption to cross-border economic activity against preserving devolved legislative autonomy, and design flaws centred around fundamental misconceptions of what the constitutional prerequisites of a flourishing internal market entail.<br>This thesis analyses the UK’s legal framework for market integration in services and assesses the interplay with devolved regulatory autonomy. It contrasts the legal scaffolding and constitutional underpinnings of the UK’s internal market for services with the governance structures which preceded whilst the UK was a member of the EU. Going beyond the silos of trade and the constitutional repercussions of Brexit, this study outlines how and why the current structure and legal framework of the UK’s internal market is based on a fundamentally flawed conception of how tools of internal market making are operationalised. This analysis is conducted through the lens of legal federalist theory, a conceptual theory which provides economic criteria to determine the pros and cons of centralised/decentralised regulatory competence allocation whilst also considering the interplay of regulatory competition. Furthermore, the thesis presents rationale as to why alternative policy choices may mitigate the missed opportunity which, it is argued, the UK failed to take advantage of to bolster an internal market which complements its constitutional make-up and diverse political anatomy. <br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2028</i>.<br> 2026-10-01T16:18:10Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32805122.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/The_UK_s_legal_framework_for_market_integration_in_services_and_devolved_regulatory_autonomy_A_missed_opportunity_/32805122 All Rights Reserved Open Access after 2028-07-31