On Wednesday 17 November, IEEP UK’s Ben Reynolds and David Baldock presented to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) on our proposal for an inquiry on the state of UK-EU cooperation on the environment. This was submitted in response to ‘The Environment in Focus’: the EAC’s call for ideas for new inquiries focused on the environment, climate change and nature. With over 200 proposals submitted, IEEP UK’s proposal was one of only five to be shortlisted for consideration.

Our research has highlighted that the UK has, for the most part, not kept pace with new environmental policy developed in the EU since Brexit across a range of areas, including circular economy, deforestation, and product and chemical standards. This divergence impacts the environmental and human health in the UK, and can create trade barriers for businesses.

The Reset Summit in May 2025 marked the beginning of a change in the direction of the UK-EU relationship on environmental matters. An EAC inquiry into this area would help to bring more attention to this important issue in Parliament and ensure that the environment plays a prominent role in the ongoing Reset discussions.

You can read our most recent report on the state of play in UK-EU divergence on environmental policy, published in July, by clicking here.

Photo from Parliamentlive.tv