The Environmental Audit Committee held an inquiry to assess the extent to which EU environmental objectives and policies have succeeded in tackling environmental issues in the UK. This is to inform the debate ahead of the referendum on EU membership that the Government has committed to holding by the end of 2017, following a renegotiation of the UK’s terms of membership.
The inquiry first looked at the merits and drawbacks of determining environmental policy at an EU level for the UK and, secondly, looked at the implications of such policies on the UK environment. The Committee does not intend to examine the Common Agricultural Policy, owing to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Committee’s ongoing work in this area.