EAC Jan 4th ‘MPs are warning the Government that environmental protections must not be weakened during the process of leaving the EU or afterwards. The Environmental Audit Committee is calling on the Government to introduce a new Environmental Protection Act during Article 50 negotiations to maintain the UK’s strong environmental standards.

  • Read the report summary
  • Read the report recommendations
  • Read the full report:: The Future of the Natural Environment after the EU Referendum

Chair’s Comments

Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Mary Creagh MP:

“Changes from Brexit could put our countryside, farming and wildlife at risk. Protections for Britain’s wildlife and special places currently guaranteed under European law could end up as ‘zombie legislation’ even with the Great Repeal Bill.

The Government should safeguard protections for Britain’s wildlife and special places in a new Environmental Protection Act.

UK farming faces significant risks – from a loss of subsidies and tariffs on farm exports to increased competition from countries with weaker food, animal welfare and environmental standards. The Government must not trade away these key protections as we leave the EU. It should also give clarity over any future farm subsidies.”

The Environmental Audit Committee report suggests that protections for wildlife and habitats could be weaker after the UK leaves the EU if the Government doesn’t take action before, or in the early stages of the Article 50 process.

The MPs looked at the legislative, trade, and financial issues and make recommendations for action to secure the future of the natural environment. They call on the Government to allow full parliamentary scrutiny of its plans for the future of environmental legislation after Brexit.

Legislative issues – ‘Zombie Legislation’

The EU provides the UK with key environmental legal protections. Merely copying EU legislation into UK law will not be enough for up to one third of the UK’s environmental protections. There is a risk where EU legislation is transposed into UK law but is no longer updated, has no body enforcing it and can be eroded through statutory instruments with minimal parliamentary scrutiny. A new Environmental Protection Act should be passed before Brexit.

To achieve its manifesto commitment to “be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than it found it” the Government must set out how it will provide an equivalent or better level of protection after leaving the EU. Click here to read more.

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