Citation, commencement and extent

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

(2) These Regulations extend to the whole of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations “the 2015 Act” means the European Union Referendum Act 2015.

Date of the referendum

3. The referendum is to be held on 23rd June 2016.

Referendum period

4. The referendum period for the referendum—

(a) begins with 15th April 2016; and

(b) ends with the date of the referendum.

Application for designation: start of period for making application

5. The day prescribed under paragraph 12 of Schedule 1 to the 2015 Act (applying to become a designated organisation: period for making application) is 4th March 2016.

Periods for reporting of donations or regulated transactions during referendum period

6. —(1) This regulation makes provision in respect of reports which must be prepared under paragraph 39 of Schedule 1 (reporting of donations during referendumperiod), or paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 (reporting of regulated transactions during referendum period), to the 2015 Act (each a “report”).

(2) The periods set out in the first column of the Schedule are prescribed under paragraph 39(2)(b) of Schedule 1, and paragraph 5(2)(b) of Schedule 2, to the 2015 Act, as periods in respect of which reports must be prepared.

(3) A report in respect of a period set out in the first column of the Schedule must be delivered to the Electoral Commission on or before the date set out in the second column of the Schedule which corresponds to that period.

(4) Where an individual or body becomes a permitted participant during a period set out in the first column of the Schedule (the “relevant period”)—

(a) the responsible person in relation to that permitted participant is not required to prepare separate reports in respect of any reporting period that preceded the relevant period, and paragraph 39(2) of Schedule 1, and paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 2, to the 2015 Act are to be read accordingly; and

(b) the report prepared by the responsible person in respect of the relevant period must also cover every reporting period that preceded the relevant period and references in paragraph 39(3) and (4) of Schedule 1 and paragraph 5(3) and (4) of Schedule 2 to the 2015 Act to “period” are to be read accordingly.

(5) In this regulation “reporting period” means any of the periods set out in—

(a) paragraph 39(2)(a) of Schedule 1, and paragraph 5(2)(a) of Schedule 2, to the 2015 Act; or

(b) the first column of the Schedule.

Regulation 6(2) and (3)

SCHEDULE