Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support UK companies in adapting to EU laws on (a) carbon border taxes, (b) plastic waste management, and (c) supply chain monitoring which differ from UK equivalent laws.

The UK Government was appointed an observer of one of the EU’s informal expert group on monitoring, reporting, quantification and verification related to the CBAM implementation, and is engaging with the EU about their draft Implementing Act, which was published last month. As we gain further clarity on the implication of the CBAM, we will continue to engage UK businesses to offer the support that they need. HM Treasury are leading work to consider whether or not the UK will establish its own CBAM.

The Government published a Border Operating Model which provides guidance on the rules exporters must follow to import and export waste, including plastic waste, from the EU.

We have published and shared guidance material to help businesses strengthen their supply chains resilience. A supply chains resilience framework was published in November 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supply-chain-resilience and, Working with the National Protective Security Authority and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, we have developed tools to help businesses improve their understanding of supply chains and manage risks and future shocks. https://www.npsa.gov.uk/supply-chain-resilience.