Abstract
The so-called ‘level playing field’ has emerged as a make – or – break issue in the trade negotiations between the European Union (EU) and the UK.
In this research paper commissioned by the Friends of the Earth, Prof. Andrew Jordan, Dr Viviane Gravey, Dr Brendan Moore and Prof. Colin Reid explore how a playing field in international trade might or might not be considered ‘level’, and explain why the environment is perceived to be especially important in EU-UK trade negotiations. The paper explains why and how the EU has created a regulatory level playing field in environmental policy matters over the last 50 years and how the resulting harmonisation between the UK and EU could be disrupted if one side decides to raise its existing standards (policy progression) and/or reduce them (policy regression) after Brexit. Drawing on environmental policy examples, the authors consider four ways policy regression could happen, including ‘deregulation’, ‘by default, ‘symbolic’ and ‘arena-shifting’. But regression is not inevitable; the report identifies several positive strategies that the UK government could implement within and outside of any EU-UK framework agreement.
In this research paper commissioned by the Friends of the Earth, Prof. Andrew Jordan, Dr Viviane Gravey, Dr Brendan Moore and Prof. Colin Reid explore how a playing field in international trade might or might not be considered ‘level’, and explain why the environment is perceived to be especially important in EU-UK trade negotiations. The paper explains why and how the EU has created a regulatory level playing field in environmental policy matters over the last 50 years and how the resulting harmonisation between the UK and EU could be disrupted if one side decides to raise its existing standards (policy progression) and/or reduce them (policy regression) after Brexit. Drawing on environmental policy examples, the authors consider four ways policy regression could happen, including ‘deregulation’, ‘by default, ‘symbolic’ and ‘arena-shifting’. But regression is not inevitable; the report identifies several positive strategies that the UK government could implement within and outside of any EU-UK framework agreement.
Original language | English |
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Commissioning body | Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland |
Number of pages | 28 |
Publication status | Published - 29 Sept 2020 |