Revision of Directive 2008/99/EC: Protection of the environment through criminal law

In December 2021, the European Commission proposed a revision of Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law. The proposal seeks to clarify some of the terms contained in the directive and includes an updated list of environmental crime offences, harmonised sanction types and levels, measures to strengthen international investigation and prosecution, improvements to the collection of statistical data, and measures to improve national enforcement chains. Ultimately, the revision is designed to increase the effectiveness of investigation and prosecution of environmental criminal offences across the European Union. The Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) was responsible for drawing up the Parliament's position on the proposal, adopting its report on 21 March 2023. The Council meanwhile adopted its general approach on the proposal on 9 December 2022. On 16 November 2023, the co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on the text, to be formally adopted early in 2024. Third edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages in the legislative procedure.