IEEP UK Divergence Newsletter

26 September 2024

This issue of our divergence newsletter comes out hot on the heels of the Labour Party conference, where we presented at an event on the potential for greater alignment between the UK and EU on environmental policy, alongside Toby Perkins MP, the new chair of the Environment Audit Committee and many esteemed guests. Read more on the event here, which had a particular focus on the potential for alignment on chemicals policy under the new Government, the topic of a recent ENDS report article which featured contributions from IEEP UK.

Over the next month look out for new briefings from IEEP UK on the new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and Environmental Crime Directive, and the implications for divergence with UK policy, along with a new report on the effectiveness of environmental governance, and the bodies tasked with overseeing this across the four nations after leaving the EU.

[Blog] Is the Government's new Products and Metrology Bill a first step to aligning with EU standards?

On the 4 September, the Government laid a new Bill before Parliament, rather drily called the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. To many, this innocuous sounding piece of legislation may be seen as just another cog in the machinery of government, yet it is much more than that. It has flown a little under the radar compared with other ‘popular’ Bills announced in Labour’s maiden Kings Speech like on creating GB Energy, Renters Rights, Tobacco and Vapes and on Football Governance, but in industry and in environmental circles as well as for those interested in maintaining alignment with high [environmental] standards set by the EU, the ‘products’ bill is very significant. Ardent Brexiteers have ‘noticed’ its significance too. Michael Nicholson explores what this Bill could mean for the UK’s environmental ambitions.

Read the full blog

[Briefing] A Crossroads for Chemicals: Questions for the new UK Government on its chemical policy in an international context

The increasing attention being paid by the press to the harmful effects of what are being called ‘forever chemicals’ will keep shining a spotlight on the adequacy of our controls over chemicals. However, as IEEP UK’s Honorary Fellow, Nigel Haigh OBE points out, the new UK Government has several other pressing questions to answer relating to chemicals policy; including on the long overdue chemicals strategy, the role of a potential chemicals agency, the efficient, protective and cost-effective registration of chemicals and the UK’s role in international chemical policy.

Read more

[News] ENDS Report EcoChamber podcast interview with IEEP UK Executive Director

In this episode of the ENDS Report Eco Chamber podcast, presenter James Agyepong-Parsons interviews Ben Reynolds to talk about IEEP UK’s analysis on environmental policy divergence between the EU and UK, and prospects for closer alignment under the new Labour Government. The interview provided a deep dive on chemicals policy tying in with IEEP UK’s recent report.

Listen here

[Guest Blog] To diverge or to not diverge: Can UK businesses escape the new EU Sustainability Reporting regulations?

The obligation for companies to report on their impacts over environment, biodiversity and society is becoming increasingly normalised. With the departure of the UK from the EU legislative framework, some businesses in the UK may have hoped for less requirements to fulfil in the environmental area, but this is unlikely to be the case.  Dr. Rosa Fernandez (Sustainability Lead at Keele Business School, Keele University) reflects on what the latest EU sustainability reporting regulations mean for UK businesses and what is the likely approach of the recently elected Labour government in the UK on this area. 

Read more