Natural England have confirmed in a letter on the 18th October 2019 to the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) that whether we leave the EU with or without a deal the government will continue to uphold international obligations. The following commitments were provided:
- European protected species and habitats will retain the same level of protection
- Environment assessments used to inform planning decisions such as Environmental Impact Assessments and Habitat Regulations Assessments will continue to apply
- Licences issued by UK regulatory bodies will continue to apply
- Enforcement of environmental regulations via the legal framework, regulatory bodies and the courts, continues to apply
Full details of the letter are provided here.