Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the environment through criminal law

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Tekst

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Interinstitutional File: 2007/0022 (COD)

Brussels, 19 March 2008

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DROIPEN 28

ENV 178 CODEC 395

OUTCOME OF PROCEEDINGS

of: on :

Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law 12 March 2008

No. prev. doc.: 6916/08 DROIPEN 19 ENV 122 CODEC 260 No. Cion prop.: 6297/07 DROIPEN 10 ENV 95 SAN 20 CONSOM 7 CODEC 113 + ADD 1 + ADD 2 COM(2007) 51 final

Subject:              Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the

protection of the environment through criminal law

The Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law met on 12 March 2008 to continue examination of the above mentioned proposal, on the basis of document 6916/08 DROIPEN 19 ENV 122 CODEC 260 as well as written comments sent by the delegations. The Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law examined the Annexes to be attached to the proposed Directive on the basis of a Presidency Working Document drafted along the lines of previous discussions in the Working Party and comments submitted in writing by the Member States. Under the item "Any other business", the Working Party took note of the report of the Commission based on Article 12 of the Council Framework Decision of 22 December 2003 on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.1

Doc. 15727/07 DROIPEN 115

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The text of the above mentioned proposed Directive as it emerged from the discussions in the Working Party, is included in the Annex to this Outcome of Proceedings. Modifications with regard to the previous document are highlighted in bold. Comments by delegations are set out in footnotes. The aforementioned Annexes , as they emerged from the discussions in the Working Party and in follow-up to written comments by delegations, are set out in a separate Working document.

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ANNEX Proposal for a

DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the protection of the environment through criminal law

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1)

thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee2,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions3,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty4,

Whereas:

(1)      According to Article 174(2) of the Treaty, Community policy on the environment must aim at a high level of protection.

(2)      The Community is concerned at the rise in environmental offences and their effects, which are increasingly extending beyond the borders of the States in which the offences are committed. Such offences pose a threat to the environment and therefore call for an appropriate response.

(3)      Experience has shown that the existing systems of sanctions have not been sufficient to achieve complete compliance with laws for the protection of the environment. Such compliance can and should be strengthened by the availability of criminal penalties, which demonstrate a social disapproval of a qualitatively different nature compared to administrative sanctions or a compensation mechanism under civil law.

(4)      Common rules on criminal offences make it possible to use effective methods of investigation and assistance within and between Member States.

OJ C , , p. OJ C , , p. OJ C , , p. OJ C , , p.

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(5)      [….]

(6)      In order to achieve effective protection of the environment, there is a particular need for dissuasive sanctions for environmentally harmful activities, which typically cause or are likely to cause substantial damage to the air, including the stratosphere, soil, water, animals or plants, including to the conservation of species.

(6a) The legislation listed in the Annexes to this Directive contain provisions, which should be

subject to measures which relate to criminal law in order to ensure that the rules on

environmental protection are fully effective.1 (6b) The obligations under this Directive only relate to the provisions of the legislation listed in

the Annexes to this Directive which entail an obligation for Member States, when

implementing that legislation, to provide for prohibitive measures.2

(7)      Failure to comply with a legal duty to act can have the same effect as active behaviour and should therefore be subject to corresponding sanctions, as well.

(8)      Therefore, such conduct should be considered a criminal offence throughout the Community when committed intentionally or with serious negligence.

(9)      […]

(9a) This Directive obliges Member States to provide for criminal penalties in their national legislation for serious infringements of provisions of Community law on the protection of the environment. This Directive creates no obligations regarding the application of such penalties or any other available system of law enforcement, in individual cases.

(9b) […].

(10)     […]

(11)     […]

(12)     […]

(13)     As this Directive provides for minimum rules, Member States are free to adopt or maintain more stringent measures regarding the effective criminal law protection of the environment. These measures must be compatible with the TEC.

(13 a) […]3

1       DE lodged a scrutiny reservation on this recital.

2       DE, DK and the Commission representative, not agreeing with the term " prohibitive measures", lodged a scrutiny reservations on this recital .

3       COM representative lodged a scrutiny reservation on the deletion of this recital.

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(13b) In accordance with point 34 of the Inter-institutional Agreement on better law-making1

Member States should draw-up, for themselves and in the interest of the Community, their own tables, illustrating, as far as possible, the correlation between this Directive and the transposition measures and make them public.

(14)     Member States should provide information to the Commission on the implementation of this Directive, in order to enable it to evaluate the effect of this Directive.

(15)     Since the objectives of the action to be taken, namely to ensure a more effective protection of the environment, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.

(16)     This act respects fundamental rights and principles as recognised notably in the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union.

Article 1 Subject matter This Directive establishes measures relating to criminal law in order to protect the environment more effectively.

Article 2 Definitions For the purpose of this Directive:

(a) "unlawful" means infringing

(i) the legislation adopted on the basis of the Treaty establishing the European Community set out in

Annex A , or

(ii) with regard to activities covered by EURATOM Treaty, the legislation adopted on the basis of

the EURATOM Treaty set out in Annex B, or

(iii) a law, an administrative regulation of a Member State or a decision taken by a competent

authority of a Member State that gives effect to the Community legislation referred to in (i) or (ii)2

OJ C 321, 31.12.2003, p. 1.

IE entered a scrutiny reservation.

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1

2

(b)    "protected wild fauna and flora species" are

  • 1) 
    for the purposes of Article 3 (f) those listed in
  • - 
    Annex IV of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora;
  • - 
    Annex 1 and referred to in Article 4(2) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds and1
  • 2) 
    for the purposes of Article 3 (g) those listed in
  • - 
    Annexes A or B to Council Regulation 338/97/EC of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora, by regulating trade therein.

(c)     "habitat within a protected site", means any habitat of species for which an area is classified as a special protection area pursuant to Article 4(1) or (2) of Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, or any natural habitat or a habitat of species for which a site is designated as a special area of conservation pursuant to Article 4(4) of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.

(d)    "legal person" means any legal entity having such status under the applicable national law, except for States or public bodies in the exercise of State authority and for public international organisations.

Article 3

Offences

Member States shall ensure that the following conduct constitutes a criminal offence, when unlawful and committed intentionally or with at least serious negligence

(a) the discharge, emission or introduction of a quantity of materials or ionising radiation into air, soil or water, which causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury to any person or substantial damage to the quality of air, the quality of soil, the quality of water or to animals or plants;

1 HU supported by RO entered a reservation and proposed the following wording for b) "protected wild fauna and flora species" are 1) for the purposes of Article 3 (f) those listed in

  • - 
    (first indent remains unchanged)
  • - 
    "Bird species referred to in Article 1 and Article 5 of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds."

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(b)    the management of waste or the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled management of waste,1 including hazardous waste which causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury to any person or substantial damage to the quality of air, the quality of soil, the quality of water, or to animals or plants.

(c)     The shipment of waste, where this activity falls within the scope of Article 2 (35) of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council and is undertaken in a non-negligible quantity,2 whether executed in a single shipment or in several shipments which appear to be linked.

(d)    the operation of a plant in which a dangerous activity is carried out or in which dangerous substances or preparations are stored or used and which, outside the plant causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury to any person or substantial damage to the quality of air, the quality of soil, the quality of water, or to animals or plants;

(e)     the manufacture, treatment, storage and disposal , use, transport, export or import of nuclear materials, other hazardous radioactive substances which causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury to any person or substantial damage to the quality of air, the quality of soil, the quality of water, or to animals or plants;

(f)     The killing, destruction, possession and taking of specimens of protected wild fauna and flora species, except for cases when the conduct concerns a negligible quantity of such specimens and has a negligible impact on the conservation status of the species.

(g) Trading in specimens of protected wild fauna and flora species or parts or derivatives thereof, except for cases when the conduct concerns a negligible quantity of these specimens and has a negligible impact on the conservation status of the species.

1       DE supported by NL and HU indicated that the term "management of waste" should be understood in the sense of the future "Waste" Directive.

2       DK lodged a reservation on the deletion of the sentence "for profit".

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(h) Any conduct which causes the significant deterioration of a habitat within a protected site1. (i) Trading in or production, marketing or use of ozone-depleting substances.

Article 3A deleted.2

Article 4 Inciting, aiding and abetting Member States shall ensure that inciting, aiding and abetting the intentional conduct referred to in Article 3 is punishable as a criminal offence.

Article 5

Penalties Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the offences referred to in Articles 3 and 4 are punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties.

Article 6 Liability of legal persons 1. Member States shall ensure that legal persons can be held liable for offences referred to in Articles 3 and 4 where such offences have been committed for their benefit by any person, acting either individually or as part of an organ of the legal person, who has a leading position within the legal person, based on

1       DE , considering that the description of the offence is too broad, entered a reservation and indicated that it preferred the following drafting: "(h) the mining or extraction of soil components, excavation or infill work, he creation, modification, or removal of a body of water, the drainage of a wetland, the construction of a building or the felling of a wood, which significantly detracts from the conservation aim of a protected habitat". DK entered a reservation and indicated it preferred the following drafting: "(h) Conduct of activities having the character of plans or projects likely to have a significant effect on a habitat within a protected site, without the consent of the competent authorities". DE expressed a positive position on this drafting.

2       DE lodged a reservation on the deletion.

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(a)     a power of representation of the legal person, or

(b)    an authority to take decisions on behalf of the legal person, or

(c)     an authority to exercise control within the legal person.

  • 2. 
    Member States shall also ensure that a legal person can be held liable where the lack of supervision or control, by a person referred to in paragraph 1, has made possible the commission of an offence referred to in Articles 3 and 4 for the benefit of that legal person by a person under its authority.
  • 3. 
    Liability of a legal person under paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not exclude criminal proceedings against natural persons who are perpetrators, instigators or accessories in the offences referred to in Article 3.

Article 7 Penalties for legal persons Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that a legal person held liable pursuant to Article 6 is punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties.

Article 8 Reporting […] deleted

Article 9 Transposition

  • 1. 
    Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by at the latest […] […]

When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.

  • 2. 
    Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

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Article 10 Entry into force This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 11 Addressees This Directive is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament                     For the Council

The President                                            The President

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