The UK’s departure from the EU may face a new legal obstacle after it emerged the UN is investigating whether the Brexit Bill breaches the UN Aarhus Convention.
The Guardian reported this week that Friends of the Earth’s (FoE) complaint that the Bill contravenes two aspects of the Aarhus Convention has been declared ‘admissible’ by the Convention compliance committee.
Under the Convention, governments must consult the public effectively about any laws that significantly affect the environment. FoE complained that the Government failed to give the public an opportunity to comment on the Brexit Bill before it was presented to Parliament, and have failed to set up an effective framework for people to have their say on new environmental legislation.
