Letter on EU and environment from IEEP

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  The Rt Hon Angela Eagle MP
  Secretary of State

  Dear Secretary of State,

  European Environment Agency and Eionet

  We are writing to urge the Government to pursue a policy that would achieve a double benefit: bring the UK closer to European Union over a relatively short timetable with no issues around red lines or cherry picking, while enhancing the Government’s goal of a much improved environment. We are convinced that re-entry into the European Environment Agency (EEA) and its European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) would achieve both those goals.  

  The Prime Minister has called for a new revitalised relationship with the EU and move beyond sector-by-sector agreements to something broader and strategic. In light of our shared history and the growing impacts of climate change, including this summer’s heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, we believe that the environment and climate should be at the heart of the next UK-EU Summit.

  As you well know these challenges do not stop at national borders and the solutions to them are often scalable across countries. Since leaving the EEA and Eionet in 2021, the UK has lost access to important mechanisms for collecting, comparing and interpreting environmental data alongside our European neighbours. As a result, our ability to assess policy effectiveness has been weakened.

  Being a member of the EEA and Eionet does not require EU membership. With Ukraine and Moldova recently joining as cooperating countries, this leaves the UK in a club with the Russian Federation and Belarus as the only non-members. Crucially as the EEA advises the EU on environment related policy, rejoining would provide one of the most formal routes open to the UK to influence regulations which the UK is set to align with through the reset.

  There is also a strong economic and scientific case. Participation would give UK agencies access to high-value environmental datasets, emerging monitoring technologies, and other innovations coming from programmes such as Copernicus and Horizon. These data and technologies often provide the seeds for new business start-ups, as the economic importance and value of data and technology grow.

  At a time when the Government is seeking a pragmatic reset in UK-European cooperation, rejoining the EEA and Eionet would be a practical, evidence-based and politically uncontroversial step that strengthens environmental governance, supports growth, and improves our ability to address the climate and nature crises.

  We would like to meet with you to discuss the case for rejoining and how we can best support you in this.

  Yours sincerely,