Recolight CEO discusses implications of Brexit for Lighting Industry at LuxLive

Nigel Harvey, Recolight CEO gave an overview of the possible impact of Brexit on the UK environmental legislation that affects the Lighting Industry.

Harvey explained that EU legislation effects in the UK in two principal ways.  Directives, such WEEE, EMC, and the LVD, are transposed into National legislation.  That means UK legislation exists that should be operable in the absence of the directive.  On the other hand, European Regulations, such as Energy Labelling and Energy Related Products are directly applicable.  There is no UK legislation to implement them.

Defra have said they want to ensure that all environmental legislation remains in force when Brexit happens, allowing them to subsequently amend/repeal as they consider appropriate.  However, regulations are a major challenge – unless they can be given the force of law, they risk leaving some material gaps in environmental protection.

The Government has said they will lay the Great Repeal Bill (GRB) before parliament in May 2017, always assuming that article 50 has been triggered by the end of March.  However, the much greater legislative challenge is how to bring the swathe of regulations back onto the statute book.  It is one of the great ironies of Brexit that much initial work will be focused on re-introducing legislation – and not on removing it.