Changes to restrictions on genetically engineered Japanese carnations, Polish canal boats, broken rice, and Fijian sailors are among the highlights of Britain’s post-Brexit burning of EU regulations and red tape.
Kemi Badenoch has blamed the Government’s reversal on its pledge to repeal the estimated 4,800 EU legislation that would stay on British law books after Brexit on the intractable Whitehall “blob.”
The Business Secretary stated on Wednesday (May 10) that she could only abolish 600 rules, falling short of the 2,400 legislation pledged to be repealed or examined during Rishi Sunak’s first 100 days as Prime Minister.
Following the Government’s amendment of its Retained EU Law Bill in the Lords, many of the laws on the chopping block appeared to be linked to EU decisions or policies and projects reserved for bloc members only.
According to the Telegraph, at least six regulations are related to judgements enabling the placement of carnations on the EU market, mainly in the Netherlands.
Two of them are related to Japanese carnations that were genetically modified for flower colour and date back to November 2016.
Approximately 176 of the legislation are related to fish and fishing, which was predicted given the UK’s departure from the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy as a result of Brexit.
Nine of the legislation are solely about tuna, including the 2014 repeal of a prohibition on Atlantic bigeye tuna imports to the EU from Bolivia, Cambodia, and Equatorial Guinea.
Four of the legislation concern anchovies, including fishing chances in the Bay of Biscay during 2012/2013.
Britain will also reduce the 910 sites allocated to Venezuelan fishermen off the coast of French Guiana by the EU in December 2011.
Seafaring qualifications recognised by the EU from Ghana, Bangladesh, and Fiji are also on the chopping block, as are other fishing agreements with nations such as Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, and Norway.
With seven name drops in the modified Bill, Mauritania is the non-EU country referenced the most in the provisions.
Old trade deals with Canada, Cuba, and Turkmenistan are also under scrutiny, as are EU agreements on forest law enforcement with the Republic of Congo.
According to estimates, up to 15% of the legislation relate to EU deals with non-EU nations that are leaders in specific goods and services.
Short-term exemptions from road haulier driving limitations, as well as from EU organic food production norms and regulations, will be removed from the statute books during Covid.
Legalities for the EU’s Copernicus satellite system, to which British industries contributed significantly, are also poised to begin.
Regular food staples such as cereal, sugar, and animal products are mentioned in 40 of the laws, with some, such as “broken rice,” pertaining to EU import charges that no longer apply to Britain after Brexit.
The modified Bill’s 31 references to climate change, greenhouse gases, and emissions are no longer applicable.
Some are tied to EU green legislation, which has been modified or amended over time rather than reflecting a repeal of existing UK climate rules.
Others are linked to the EU’s Emissions Trading System, the trading bloc’s carbon permit market, which no longer applies to the United Kingdom.
Biocidal products are referenced 23 times, implying that pesticide authorizations or denials play a significant role.
However, these laws date from before Brexit, when corporations would use UK regulators to grant market authorization for their products across the EU, rather than an indicator of a pesticide free-for-all after Brexit.