Brexit Secretary David Davis has said the repeal bill is "vital" for ensuring Britain leaves the European Union in an "orderly manner" as MPs gathered to debate the legislation.
Mr Davis told a packed Commons chamber that the EU (Withdrawal) Bill was an "essential step" in the Brexit process.
He said: "This bill is an essential step, whilst it does not take us out of the European Union - that's a matter for the Article 50 process - it does ensure that on the day we leave businesses know where they stand, workers' rights are upheld and consumers remain protected.
"This Bill is vital to ensuring that as we leave, we do so in an orderly manner."
Earlier, during Brexit questions in the Commons, Mr Davis said the purpose of the bill was to establish "certainty for business" and "the ability to carry out a free trade deal which will be unique in the world", and "to underpin all the rights and privileges that we have promised to our country down the years, including employment rights, consumer rights, environmental rights".
He said: "All of those things are vital in the national interest."
The bill will overturn the 1972 Act which took Britain into the European Economic Community and will transpose relevant EU law onto the UK statute book to ensure there are no gaps in legislation at the point of Brexit.
It will debated over two days, with any votes taking place on September 11.
Summarising the Bill, Mr Davis said it would end the supremacy of European law over laws made in the UK, ensure that the same laws and rules will apply the day after Brexit as they did before, and provide "ministers in this Parliament and in the devolved legislatures with powers to make statutory instruments to address the problems that would arise when we leave the European Union".
Mr Davis said he would "stand ready" to listen to "those who offer improvements to the Bill in the spirit of preparing our statute book for withdrawal from the European Union".
"This Bill does only what is necessary for a smooth exit and to provide stability; however, as I have repeatedly said, I welcome and encourage contributions from those who approach the task in good faith and in a spirit of collaboration," he added.
Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn were among MPs who gathered in the chamber for the start of the debate - which marks the first time MPs have had the chance to discuss its main principles.
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