Report on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Brexit & the Environment

The executive summary of the report is available here:  https://nienvironmentlink.org/cmsfiles/Brexit-GFA-report-SUMMARY.pdf The full report is available here: https://nienvironmentlink.org/cmsfiles/Brexit-GFA-report-FULL.pdf Please see media release below April 16th, 2019 Unleashing the full potential of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement could address some of the main risks posed by Brexit to the environment of the island of Ireland, a new report […]

Environmental Pillar cautiously welcomes the Withdrawal Agreement & Political Declaration

Environmental Pillar cautiously welcomes the Withdrawal Agreement & Political Declaration: will a level playing field deliver cross-border alignment?   The conclusion of negotiations on a Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration lay the groundwork for designing a future EU-UK relationship incorporating far-reaching environmental standards. In the Withdrawal Agreement the UK and the EU have committed to […]

Brexit draft withdrawal agreement seeks to quell any rollback on environmental standards

November 16th, 2018 The Environmental Pillar welcomes the inclusion of a commitment in the draft withdrawal agreement to maintaining current levels of environmental protection across the island of Ireland post-Brexit. It also includes a clause designed to prevent any regression of environmental laws, regulations and practices in the UK or the EU following the Brexit […]

Political Declaration on future EU-UK relationship must deliver on environment

October 5th, 2018 The coming weeks are critical for the Brexit negotiations and the future EU-UK relationship. Negotiations are intensifying in the build-up to the October European Council summit, with the added bonus of a possible extraordinary summit in November at which an Agreement will be presented. Accompanying any Withdrawal [Brexit] Agreement will be a […]

Brexit Briefing: level playing field for environment on the island of Ireland

The Environmental Pillar and Northern Ireland Environment Link, who together represent almost 100 environmental organisations from across the island of Ireland, are working together to draw attention to the cross-border environmental implications of Brexit – one of six key areas of cooperation outlined by the North-South Ministerial Council as established under the Good Friday Agreement. […]

Will nature be on the European Council menu?

September 19th, 2018 Both today and tomorrow, EU leaders are gathering in Salzburg for an informal Council summit that will end with a working lunch (sans Theresa May) to discuss Brexit. On the menu is likely to be the state of play in the negotiations on the key withdrawal issues (including the Irish backstop) and […]