European Union reaches agreement to toughen legislation on environmental crimes

The European Parliament and the Member States reached an agreement on Thursday, November 16, on a text which extends the list of environmental crimes and harmonizes the sanctions provided for in the European Union.

This agreement adds in particular to the list of environmental offenses the illegal trade in timber, the importation of invasive species, pollution caused by ships, violations of laws on chemicals.

Up to eight years in prison

Furthermore, it introduces the notion of“qualified offenses” for environmental crimes that cause “the destruction of an ecosystem or habitat in a protected site, or damage to air, soil or water quality”. “They would include offenses comparable to ecocide, as catastrophic as widespread pollution or large-scale forest fires,” describes the European Parliament in a press release. “The EU lays the foundations for the recognition of ecocide”, rejoiced French MEP Marie Toussaint (Greens) on X.

The approved text modifies a 2008 European directive deemed too weak and ineffective against booming environmental crime and among the most lucrative for organized crime globally. The revised directive provides for fines and prison sentences on the sanctions side. Individuals, including company representatives, guilty of environmental offenses resulting in death will face a sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. THE “qualified offenses” will be punished with eight years in prison. Other offenses will be punishable by five years of imprisonment.

In the most serious cases, companies in violation will be fined 5% of their annual global turnover or 40 million euros (3% of turnover or 24 million euros for other violations). ). They may be deprived of public funding and will be required to repair the damage and compensate the victims. The agreement reached on Thursday must still be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.