The European Parliament's New Directive on Environmental Crimes

The European Parliament has passed a groundbreaking directive aimed at curbing environmental crimes and enhancing ecosystem protection. The directive, approved overwhelmingly with a 499-100 vote, expands the list of criminal environmental offences and imposes stricter sanctions on offenders, signalling a firm commitment to environmental stewardship.

Driven by the alarming rise in environmental criminal activities globally, the directive targets illegal timber trade, water resource depletion, hazardous substance importation, and ship pollution. It introduces harsher penalties, including imprisonment for "qualified offences" causing ecosystem destruction, and fines of up to 3% or 5% of annual revenue for companies.

The directive underscores the principle of "polluter pays," requiring offenders to compensate for environmental damage and restore affected areas. European Parliament rapporteur Antonius Manders hailed the directive as a crucial step in deterring environmental crimes and holding perpetrators accountable. With this directive, the EU asserts its commitment to environmental protection and sends a clear message that environmental offenders will face consequences.

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