Overview
ENDS Report quoted Simon Tilling in a January 4, 2022 article titled "Brussels-based NGOs are Pressing for the European Commission to Act Against the Government's Plans to Water-down the UK REACH Chemicals Regime." The piece highlights responses to the UK's intention to weaken UK REACH: chemical regulations intended to identify and control hazardous substances.
Some contend that this will violate the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which states that parties shall not reduce their environmental protections below those in place at the end of the transition period, should it impact trade or investment between the parties.
Tilling explained that while the UK's decision might violate the deal, it would be difficult to prove. "The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ensures that both parties have a wide degree of flexibility on how to regulate chemicals. It’s important to note that, while there are legal commitments not to reduce environmental protection from the levels that existed at the end of 2020, there is nothing to commit either the UK or the EU to keep pace with further developments by the other – and this was by design rather than omission," said Tilling.
The full article can be read at ENDS Report (subscription required).