Marie Toussaint: “The penalization of ecocides is a new policy of civilization”


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The Green MEP pleads for a strengthening of the arsenal to punish rapidly expanding environmental crimes, at a time when the European Commission is proposing a new directive in this area.

Growing pollution, scarcity of wild species, disappearance of natural spaces… The debate on crimes against the planet has never been so intense. On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed a new directive aimed at strengthening the criminal arsenal against the activities most harmful to the environment, in compliance with a commitment of the Green Deal for Europe (or Green Deal). According to Interpol and the United Nations Environment Program, “Environmental crime is the fourth largest criminal activity in the world after drug trafficking, human trafficking and counterfeiting; it is increasing by 5% to 7% per year, ie two to three times faster than world economic growth ”, recalls one of the main institutions of the European Union (EU).

The idea is in particular to create new environmental crimes at EU level, such as the misuse of chemicals, illegal timber trade or the discharge of polluting substances from ships, but also to provide for a “Minimum level for sanctions”, help and support whistleblowers and encourage …



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