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EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius today unveiled new plans to step up prosecutions for environmental violations. According to him, the European Union should be aware that environmental crimes are associated with victims.
“Too often in Europe there is no real punishment for environmental crime. “Violators of the law can go unpunished and there are very few incentives to respect the law,” Sinkevicius told a news conference in Brussels.
“The plans are a move to tighten criminal legislation as part of the European Union’s broader transition policy towards a more environmentally friendly economy and society to combat climate change,” he said.
“The proposals better detail how the EU defines offenses related to pollution, waste and the threat to biodiversity, helping prosecution and strengthening the rule of environmental law,” Sinkevicius added.
“Greater training and cross-border co-operation with extended data exchange between police authorities is also proposed,” he added.
The commission has also introduced new violations as well as tougher penalties if an environmental violation results in loss of life.
The plans will be submitted to the European Parliament and the European Council for approval.
According to Interpol and the United Nations Environment Program, environmental violations such as illegal logging or littering are the fourth largest criminal activity in the world, with an increase of 5-7 percent.
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