Author: Nigel Haigh

This paper is intended to stimulate discussion of the implications for the environment and environmental policy of the different kinds of access to the European Single Market that might be considered in the negotiations.

The Brexit negotiations are now moving into their second phase, with the UK Government considering what kind of eventual relationship with the EU it wants, and with the other 27 EU Member States considering the negotiating mandate they will give to the Commission.

Some of the problems that will arise have already been put under the spotlight by the attempt to avoid a hard border in Ireland. The paper discusses the meaning of the terms ‘single market’ (technically the ‘internal market’, concerning trade within the EU) and how it differs from the ‘customs union’ (dealing also with trade with third countries). Some items of EU environmental legislation are inextricably tied to the single market, others less so. The paper divides EU environmental legislation into five broad headings to clarify their relevance to the single market. It points up problems ahead, and ends with a summary and conclusions.