Regulations are there to protect our environment

The UK exiting the EU is the focus of my work in Wales and the European Parliament, and will be for the next few years.

Looking at the impact on our economy and society is the way to try to protect Welsh interests. That includes the impact on our countryside and environment.

Over 20,000 EU laws will need to be examined – more than 3,000 in agriculture and over 2,000 on the environment, consumers and health protection. This will take a huge amount of time but is essential to secure excellent standards.

A major concern is maintaining EU laws that support rural areas and protect our countryside and wildlife. The Habitats Directive, for example, is often mentioned by the Conservative UK Government as standing in the way of progress. The fact that it protects rare species matters less to them than the demands of developers. They would welcome the opportunity to scrap it. But it is EU environmental law that has enabled Wales to make use of its natural resources in a positive way.

In my own pre-MEP experience, the intervention of the European Parliament Petitions Committee was crucial in enabling the Plaid Cymru council to close the notorious polluting Nantygwyddon landfill site in the Rhondda. The question of who would take over the role of enforcing environmental legislation and maintaining levels of excellence is, as yet, unanswered.

Just last week the European Commission gave the UK Government (among others) its final warning for breaching air pollution limits. The regulations are there to protect us. There had already been a High Court ruling that the UK Government’s plan for tackling the air pollution crisis was illegally poor. Now the UK could face a fine imposed by the European Court of Justice if it does not comply.

A possible trade deal with the US also poses threats. While TTIP is now on hold, we know from those discussions that food standards and issues like GMOs were very difficult to agree on and would lead to lower levels of protection. We need international trade deals, but ones which will promote Welsh produce because of its quality.

Over many years of membership we have developed many networks and safeguards in co-operation with our EU partners on issues like climate change. We must be vigilant to ensure the UK and Welsh governments keep their international and domestic obligations in these areas, which are crucial to Wales’ future success.