24 December 2020

Beyond Brexit transition – the impact on UK environmental legislation

The majority of UK environmental legislation is EU derived and that will not change in the short or medium term. Brexit provides a unique opportunity to improve environmental regulation, but moving away from an EU-derived regime will be difficult due to the need for regulatory stability, avoiding possible gaps in coverage, and the requirements of international treaties. The UK government has committed itself to maintaining environmental standards and international obligations after the end of the transition period, and is likely to face greater political and public scrutiny in relation to environmental matters than when policy and legislation was driven largely by Brussels.    

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