Brexit, retained EU law and assimilated law

EU environmental law

Over the years, the European Commission has taken a proactive approach to establishing environmental protection in a range of areas, such as: environmental liabilities, noise, industrial emissions and permitting, climate change, air quality, hazardous substances, chemicals, nuclear energy, sustainability, environmental management, conservation, water, energy and waste.

The vast majority of environmental regimes in the UK stem from European directives and regulations.

For more details on the EU’s environmental remit, including competence, institutions and bodies and policy, see Practice Note: Brexit—impact on environmental law—Background—EU environmental remit.

For details on EU environmental law more generally, see Practice Note: Introduction to EU environmental law—powerpoint and Key environmental developments (EU Law)—overview.

UK withdrawal from the EU

As a result of the 23 June 2016 UK referendum on membership of the EU, which voted with a 52% majority voting in favour of the UK leaving the EU, government published the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (EU(W)A 2018). EU(W)A 2018 makes

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