EU agrees to outlaw ‘green’ crimes
After eight years of negotiation, the European Parliament has reached an agreement with member states on legislation that will force national governments to apply criminal sanctions to those causing deliberate or negligent damage to the environment.
According to the agreed text, the list of punishable crimes will include:
* Unlawful discharge or emission of substances into the air, soil or water in a way likely to cause "death or serious injury to any person" or "substantial damage" to the environment;
* the shipment of waste;
* any conduct which causes the significant deterioration of habitats within protected sites, and;
* the production, importation, exportation, placing on the market or use of ozone-depleting substances.