The UK-EU Reset Summit on Monday 19 May saw the announcement of a new deal between the UK and EU. While some headlines have focused on what this deal means for security and youth mobility, it also has consequences for environmental policy areas including food, fisheries, and carbon emissions.

Ben Reynolds, Executive Director at IEEP UK, commented on the Reset:

“We welcome these first steps to closer collaboration between the UK and the EU. Both have similar ambitions and a richly intertwined history on environment and climate policy. The agreement to link Emissions Trading Schemes and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms underlines this joint climate ambition and determination, and increases regulatory certainty for business working across Europe and removes the risk of additional costs to British exporters.

“We look forward to seeing more detail on the agreement affecting movement of agri-food products. The wording of the Reset statement suggests an SPS Agreement will come in due course but in principle would adopt dynamic alignment on relevant standards which would include pesticide and animal welfare regulations. This could be consequential with the UK and EU taking different approaches since Brexit.”

“We also welcome the commitment for more regular exchanges, lacking in recent years, between the EU and UK on joint strategic interests, which we believe as indicated today should include climate and environment policy. This would provide space for further discussions on UK alignment with EU standards in some areas that would be beneficial to the environment, the public and ease trade barriers, such as circular economy and air quality legislation, whilst retaining the freedom to go higher in those areas where the UK wants to take a more ambitious approach. The agreement has already indicated that this will include chemicals – with a view to protecting public health – which may indicate a desire by the UK to follow the EU’s chemical regime which has tested and restricted more products it deems as unsafe. This principle of exchange should also include consideration to rejoin other forums for sharing data, such as the European Environment Agency and Eionet.”

Look out for detailed read outs on these areas from IEEP UK in the weeks to come.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash