The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill contains an explicit power to maintain alignment with new EU laws on product standards. The government will be able to use this new power to improve product safety and to reduce or mitigate the environmental impact of products where the EU makes provision in that area. We recommend that use of the bill’s powers should be targeted to regulations where the UK’s product standards have not kept pace with higher EU standards, for example on ecodesign and chemical regulations. A stronger environmental duty should be included, so that environmental considerations play a more active role in guiding new product regulations.

For more information, contact:

Ruth Chambers, senior fellow: rchambers@greenalliance.org.uk