Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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UTILITY WEEK | 17TH - 23RD JUNE 2016 | 7 Policy & Regulation 23 June POLLING DAY Lobby Election / Party conferences T he imminent EU referendum is a vote that, it is widely agreed, will "define our society for generations". Not only does the political future of David Cameron seemingly rest on it – as well as those of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and many others – but the repercussions across the country and the continent could be great. With UK energy, climate change and envi- ronmental policy intimately intertwined with regulations that have come from Brussels, a vote to leave could dramatically change the landscape in which the UK utilities operate. A remain vote would ensure that these rules and laws – which pro-EU campaigners claim Britain will help shape – continue to define the regulatory environment for com- panies based in this country. With doomsday scenarios of imminent recession, limitless immigration and surren- dered sovereignty all being laid before the electorate in the arguments for and against remaining in the EU, uncertainty rages over the shape of the future. In this special report, Utility Week looks at some of the most pressing issues the ref- erendum presents for the electricity, gas and water sectors, and assesses what comes next, whether or not we remain a part of the EU. Judgement day After months of mudslinging and often histrionic campaigning, the EU referendum is now close at hand. Mathew Beech reports. "I believe that Britain will be safer, stronger and better off by remain- ing in a reformed European Union." David Cameron addresses his new cabinet Timeline 1975: 67% of British voters decide to remain in the EEC. 2016: UK votes to leave/stay in the EU 1958 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2013: Croatia becomes the 28th member of the EU. "Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods." Boris Johnson MP 2007: Romania and Bulgaria join. 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join. 1995: Austria, Finland, and Sweden join. 1985: Greenland leaves the EU. 1 January 1958: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Nether- lands and West Germany sign the Treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community. 1973: Denmark, Ireland and the UK join. 1981: Greece joins. 1986: Portugal and Spain join. "It is perfectly possible to be critical and still be convinced we need to remain a member." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn