Regulation and the Road to Brexit

Today the Prime Minister set out her vision for the future economic partnership between the United Kingdom and the European Union, with specific implications for chemicals regulation.

Dr Camilla Alexander White, our Senior Environment & Regulation Advisor, said: "It is a positive step that the Prime Minister has said in her speech today that the UK wants to investigate remaining part of the European Chemicals Agency, creating and abiding by ECHA rules and making an appropriate financial contribution. The associated benefits are worth it.

"For chemicals regulations such as REACH, we should be trying to achieve one, streamlined process for both the UK and EU. Good regulation, like good science, needs international cooperation and collaboration.

"Mrs May indicated that such collaboration would be done through negotiating the terms of ‘associate membership’, which puts our future relationship with these technical bodies at the heart of the upcoming negotiations, a key element of which will be sharing technical data and scientific expertise, through which we all benefit."