A joint call for evidence has been issued by two Government departments into whether the European Union’s competence, in relation to the environment and climate change, benefits the UK.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Energy and Climate Change wants responses on this over the next 12 weeks as part of a Government-wide review of where membership of the EU benefits the UK, and where it needs to be modernised.
A report will be published by Parliament at the end of the year that will provide analysis of EU competence for environment and climate change and what this means for the UK.
In a written ministerial statement to Parliament, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: “This report, which will be completed by the end of 2013, will focus on the application and effect of the EU’s competence in relation to the environment and climate change.
“Much of the UK’s environment and climate change policy is now agreed at EU level, with comparatively few areas remaining exclusively within the competence of Member States.
“One example of national competence is land use planning, although there are an increasing number of EU requirements affecting planning and development. All aspects of EU environment policy are potentially covered by this report including, but not limited to, air quality, water quality, nature protection, chemicals and waste.”
The call for evidence does not include renewable energy or energy efficiency as these will be discussed in the energy report, which will be launched in the autumn.
