De-Europeanising or disengaging? EU environmental policy and Brexit

Figures & data

Table 1. Expectations of de-Europeanisation.

Europeanisation	Policy	Politics	Polity	De-Europeanisation
Limited impact of the EU	Voluntary policy goals have resulted in limited or few policy changes, governance changes or cognitive shifts amongst policy-makers.	Limited awareness of policy outside government. Limited engagement of wider societal actors.	Centralized policy-making. Limited veto players. Low public awareness.	Likely and uncontested.
Stronger impact of the EU	Mandatory changes that have resulted in significant policy changes and infrastructural investment.	Mobilization of business and societal interests in favour of policy. Wider social and business expectations coalesced around EU policy. Contestation.	Devolved policy area. Multiple veto players. Higher public awareness.	Unlikely or more contested. Disengagement likely characterised by limited roll back of policy and mirroring of EU policy even though no longer a member.

Table 2. Brexit as disengagement.

Expectation	Policy	Politics	Polity
Disengagement as passive de-Europeanisation.	Policy stays in place and gradually becomes out-dated.	De-politicization and identification of environment as technical low politics. Lack of resources amongst NGOs.	Lack of state capacity to review or retrench policy.
Disengagement as failed de-Europeanisation	Deliberate attempts to de-Europeanise thwarted—policy stays as is, gradually being undermined via technical adjustments.	Contestation results in stalemate. Brexit fatigue sets in.	Joint-decision trap—too many veto players to move either way. Policy stasis follows.