<p>As co-legislator, Parliament has long been supportive of EU biodiversity protection and climate change policies.</p>

<p>The EU has played an important international role in seeking solutions to biodiversity loss, deforestation and climate change. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change notes the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems and the protection of biodiversity. As part of the European Green Deal, the Commission has proposed a new biodiversity strategy that aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030, for the benefit of people, the climate and the planet.</p>

Biodiversity Strategy 2030

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

Press conference on Environmental crime directive

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Following European elections in May 2019, the Parliament held its constituent session on 2 July 2019. Parliament, Council, and the Commission identified common priorities and committed to deliver on before the 2024 European Elections. With the series of videos "European Parliament’s priorities and achievements (2019-2024)", have a look back at the different legislative and political achievements reached by the EP. Parliament declared a climate emergency in 2019 and fought for more ambitious greenhouse gas - emissions reductions to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement. The Climate Law makes it a binding objective for the EU to become climate neutral in 2050 and reduce GHG emissions by at least 55% in 2030. It gives European citizens and businesses the legal certainty and predictability they need to plan for the green transition. At least 30% of the EU budget will support climate objectives (and 8% biodiversity).

European Parliament’s priorities and achievements (2019-2024): Climate protection and environmental policies

MEPs vote on the following topics: Luena (A9-0220/2023) - Nature restoration; Gozi (A9-0009/2023) - Transparency and targeting of political advertising; Ripa (ENVI 14/02) - Detergents and surfactants, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 648/2004; Borchia (A9-0378/2023) - Amending Decision (EU) 2017/1324 as regards the continuation of the Union’s participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe; Manders (A9-0087/2023) - Protection of the environment through criminal law; and Van Overveldt (A9-0412/2023) - Report on the European Central Bank – annual report 2023.

Voting session: Nature restoration

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 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

This infoclip illustrates the new rules that provide an updated list of acts related to the environment that qualify as criminal offences at EU level and of the related sanctions, to ensure a more effective enforcement of EU environmental legislation. This item shows extracts from Iaw suits, courts, ecosystems, invasive species, forest fires, environmental pollution, water waste and treatment, ships and gas companies.

Infoclip: Environmental protection through criminal law

The Commission, on 24 February 2021, adopted the new EU strategy on climate change adaptation which aims at enhancing the EU’s and the world’s capacity to adapt to and minimise the impacts of climate change and at the same time further develop and accelerate actions across the economy and society. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Climate adaptation: how can we build resilience?

On the 14th September 2022, Ursula von der LEYEN, EC President, delivers her State of the European Union (SOTEU) speech in the European Parliament. This infoclip illustrates one of the main stake of the coming year: the fight against climate change after the severe droughts, fires and floods that EU has faced in the past years. EU Green Deal aims at improving the well-being and health of citizens and future generations by providing for exemple fresh air, clean water, healthy soil and biodiversity, fresh air, clean water, healthy soil and biodiversity.

Infoclip: Fight against climate change and European Green Deal

Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA), Christophe HANSEN (EPP, LU), Emma WIESNER (RE, SE), Silvia MODIG (The Left, FI) and and Inna SOVSUN, member of the Ukrainian Parliament /Rada (remotely) hold a press conference on Taxonomy, the Commission’s plan to include certain nuclear and gas activities in the list of environmentally sustainable economic activities.

Press conference by Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA), rapporteur on Taxonomy; Christophe HANSEN (EPP, LU), Emma WIESNER (RE, SE), Silvia MODIG (The Left, FI) and and Inna SOVSUN, member of the Ukrainian Parliament/Rada

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