Review warns UK of EU penalties threat

Future EU fines could threaten the functioning of the UK’s environment ministry, according to a parliamentary committee.

The Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has had its budget cut by central government and “potentially substantial” future EU fines on water, air pollution and agriculture could exacerbate the problem, the committee said.

The committee called on DEFRA to urgently develop policies to comply with EU law to “future-proof” itself.