Safeguarding standards: why Wales should lead the way
Since the 2016 EU referendum, the Welsh Government has provided welcome assurances of its intention to keep domestic regulatory standards high, regardless of the terms of the UK’s exit. In areas of reserved policy, the Welsh Government has remained consistent in its position that the UK should not diverge from EU regulatory standards, advocating a dynamic alignment approach with Europe. It has also called for continued participation in EU regulatory bodies and agencies, including the European Chemicals Agency.
Despite the Welsh Government’s clear commitment to keeping standards high, a number of factors risk undermining Welsh environmental, employee protections, and public health and well-being standards going forward. Clearly, outside of devolved policy areas, many of the levers for change lie with the UK government. But even within areas of devolved competence, there remain concerns which, if left unaddressed, may compromise the achievement of ambitious social and environmental goals for Wales.
As people become more attuned to the roles and responsibilities of the Welsh Government, it is even more important that the Welsh Government makes the right (and popular) decisions on regulation in those areas they control.
In this briefing we look at environmental standards, employee protections, and public health and wellbeing standards, highlighting the ways in which these risk being undermined in Wales, and highlighting the opportunities to ensure these standards are protected.
Safeguarding standards: why Wales should lead the way
Since the 2016 EU referendum, the Welsh Government has provided welcome assurances of its intention to keep domestic regulatory standards high, regardless of the terms of the UK’s exit. In areas of reserved policy, the Welsh Government has remained consistent in its position that the UK should not diverge from EU regulatory standards, advocating a dynamic alignment approach with Europe. It has also called for continued participation in EU regulatory bodies and agencies, including the European Chemicals Agency.
Despite the Welsh Government’s clear commitment to keeping standards high, a number of factors risk undermining Welsh environmental, employee protections, and public health and well-being standards going forward. Clearly, outside of devolved policy areas, many of the levers for change lie with the UK government. But even within areas of devolved competence, there remain concerns which, if left unaddressed, may compromise the achievement of ambitious social and environmental goals for Wales.
As people become more attuned to the roles and responsibilities of the Welsh Government, it is even more important that the Welsh Government makes the right (and popular) decisions on regulation in those areas they control.
In this briefing we look at environmental standards, employee protections, and public health and wellbeing standards, highlighting the ways in which these risk being undermined in Wales, and highlighting the opportunities to ensure these standards are protected.