Parliament is set to approve new rules aiming to protect the environment in the EU through criminal law.

Following a debate on Monday, MEPs are expected to give their final green light to a new directive on environmental crime, as agreed with the member states in November 2023, on Tuesday. The new law provides an updated list of environmental crimes including illegal timber trade, depletion of water resources or breaches of EU chemicals legislation. It also introduces the so-called qualified offence of causing the destruction of an ecosystem, such as large-scale forest fires, and thus comparable to ecocide.

Individual offenders, including company representatives, can face prison sentences of up to five or ten years depending on the severity of the crime. They will also be required to reinstate the environment they destroyed and compensate for the damage. Companies can also face fines of up to 5% of their worldwide turnover or 40 million euro.

Background

The new legislation aims to tackle the rising number of environmental crimes in the EU. Environmental crime is the fourth largest criminal activity in the world and is one of the main sources of income for organised crime alongside drugs, weapons and human trafficking.

Press conference -  Environmental crime directive

EP Plenary session - Joint Debate - Disability cards

EMPL CRPD Network meeting

LEX signing ceremony in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President

EP Plenary session  - Commission statement - Healthy lifestyle and active ageing in the EU

Press conference on Environmental crime directive

Trilogue on Environmental Crimes

JURI Committee -  Vote on  its position on a draft bill on the protection of the environment through criminal law

Trilogue on  the final shape of EU rules for the design, production and disposal of batteries

Toine MANDERS, Martin SCHULZ EP President

Martin SCHULZ - EP President meets with MEP Toine MANDERS

Martin SCHULZ EP President, Toine MANDERS

Martin SCHULZ EP President meets with Toine MANDERS

MEPs adopt the first EU-wide Disability Card and Parking Card for persons with disabilities during the plenary session in Strasbourg. The new rules, already agreed on by the Parliament and the Council, establishes an EU-wide disability card to make sure that, when travelling for a short period, people with disabilities have equal access to preferential conditions, such as reduced or zero entry fees, priority access and access to reserved parking. Opening statements by Lucia ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ (Renew, SK), Antonius MANDERS (EPP, NL), Alice KUHNKE (Greens/EFA, SE), Rapporteurs, Linus GLANZELIUS (S&D, SE), TRAN Committee, Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT (EPP, ES), FEMM Committee. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Joint Debate - Disability cards: Opening statements by Rapporteurs, Linus GLANZELIUS (S&D, SE), TRAN Committee, Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT (EPP, ES), FEMM Committee

Twelve COD LEX texts are scheduled to be signed on Thursday, 11 April 2024, by President Metsola and Ms Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions, with the exception of two files which will be signed by Ms Valérie DE BUE , Minister for the Civil Service, Tourism, Heritage and Road Safety (Government of Federation Wallonia-Brussels), and Mr Benjamin DALLE, Minister for Brussels, Youth, Media and Poverty Reduction (Flemish Government), on behalf of the Belgian Presidency.

MEPs debate and vote on new EU rules to reduce emissions from passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers and to set battery durability requirements for them. The regulation governing the type-approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles (Euro 7) aims to support the EU’s transition towards clean mobility and improve air quality. Opening statements by Alexandr VONDRA (ECR, CZ), Rapporteur, Massimiliano SALINI (EPP, IT), ITRE Committee, Elisa FERREIRA, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Antonius MANDERS (EPP, NL), IMCO Committee, and Marian-Jean MARINESCU (EPP, RO), TRAN Committee. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7): Opening statement by Alexandr VONDRA (ECR, CZ), Rapporteur, and Elisa FERREIRA, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms

Antonius MANDERS (EPP, NL), rapporteur, holds a press conference on the Environmental crime directive. Parliament is set to approve new rules aiming to protect the environment in the EU through criminal law. Following a debate on Monday, MEPs are expected to give their final green light to a new directive on environmental crime, as agreed with the member states in November 2023, on Tuesday. The new law provides an updated list of environmental crimes including illegal timber trade, depletion of water resources or breaches of EU chemicals legislation. It also introduces the so-called qualified offence of causing the destruction of an ecosystem, such as large-scale forest fires, and thus comparable to ecocide. Individual offenders, including company representatives, can face prison sentences of up to five or ten years depending on the severity of the crime. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Antonius MANDERS (EPP, NL), rapporteur on the Environmental crime directive

MEPs are set to approve long-term funding for Ukraine, the “Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform” (STEP), and associated major changes to the multi-year EU budget. The revision of the EU’s long-term budget – the multiannual financial framework (MFF) – includes the €50 billion Ukraine Facility and the “Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform” (STEP) which aims to support EU competitiveness and resilience in strategic sectors. It also bolsters the EU’s budget to deal with migration and external challenges as well as the EU's crisis preparedness and budgetary flexibility. Furthermore, in line with Parliament’s demands, the revision introduces a mechanism to tackle escalating costs linked to the repayment of the NextGenerationEU recovery plan amid rising interest rates. On Tuesday, Parliament will debate and vote on the corresponding texts recently agreed with the EU member states: MFF revision

Joint debate - MFF revision: MEPs debate

MEPs give their final green light to a new directive on environmental crime, as agreed with the Member States in November 2023. The new law provides an updated list of environmental crimes including illegal timber trade, depletion of water resources or breaches of EU chemicals legislation. It also introduces the so-called qualified offence of causing the destruction of an ecosystem, such as large-scale forest fires, and thus comparable to ecocide. Short presentation of the topic.

Short presentations - Report: Antonius Manders (A9-0087/2023) - Protection of the environment through criminal law

MEPs vote on the following topics: High common level of cybersecurity at the institutions; Catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna; Common rules promoting the repair of goods; Net Zero Industry Act; Union certification framework for carbon removals; Strengthening the CO2 emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles; Possibilities to increase the reliability of audits and controls by national authorities in shared management; EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors; Implementation of the principle of the primacy of EU law; UN Climate Change Conference 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (COP28); Reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families; Implementation of the European Solidarity Corps programme 2021-2027; and Implementation of the European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027.

Voting session: implementation of the principle of the primacy of EU law

MEPs debate on their position on rules to protect journalists, activists, academics, artists and researchers against legal actions aimed at silencing them. The draft directive provides minimum standards of protection from lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) in the EU through early dismissal of these cases, obliging the claimant to cover the costs of proceedings and not recognising third country judgements. The rules should apply in cross-border cases when the claimant and defendant are not based in the same country as the court or when the case is relevant to more than one member state and the disputed work can be accessed electronically. MEPs are also set to call on member states to ensure that SLAPP victims get legal, financial and psychological assistance. MEPs debate

MANDERS, Antonius (EPP, NL)

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