EU legal committee unanimous vote to recognize ecocide level crimes

Today the EU has come a significant step closer to recognising ecocide in the revised Directive for the protection of the environment through criminal law.  
EU legal committee unanimous vote to recognize ecocide level crimes

Four previous consultative committees had already voted in favour of including ecocide. Now, the last and most important of the committees in the context of this Directive, the legal affairs (JURI) committee, unanimously voted to include the most serious environmental crimes – widely known as “ecocide” – in its proposed text for the Directive which will be presented in the EU Parliament on 17th April.

The proposed text uses language extremely close to the consensus international definition of ecocide (June 2021) proposed by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation. A specific definition for the “gravest crimes” is included, taking into account the conditions for harm used in the IEP draft: “severe and either widespread or long-term or irreversible” (with the corresponding definitions of those terms* also closely following those used in the IEP draft).  The proposal mandates Member states to ensure that those gravest crimes are sanctioned accordingly in their legal systems.

Information courtesy of Stop Ecocide International.

Share this post

Other articles

Stellar line-up in Almedalen

EVENT

Scania, SPP, Swedbank, The Swedish Recycling Industries’ Association, TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), Svenskt Näringsliv (Confederation of Swedish Enterprise) – representatives discuss the pros and cons of international ecocide law from a business and employee perspective.

Historic decision by Sweden’s biggest political party

Swedish Social Democrat Congress Supports Ecocide Law – A Milestone for Environmental Justice

Kivra supports ecocide law

Business support for ecocide law is snowballing. Ecocide Law Alliance welcomes Kivra!

GodEl and GodFond – new business voices for ecocide law

“Ecocide is a form of self-destruction – a breakdown of our shared future. Supporting legislation against ecocide is a no-brainer,” says Maria Erdmann, CEO of GodEl (GoodCause Foundation).

Business leader op-ed: Bring Environmental Criminals to Justice

In an op-ed published by Aktuell Hållbarhet on Earth Day, April 22nd, business leaders urge the government to take a stand on ecocide law, and to advocate internationally so that mass environmental destruction becomes a criminal offence with global reach.

Swedish Recycling Industries’ Association

“Ecocide legislation feels like an obvious step,” says Ellen Einebrant, CEO of the Swedish Recycling Industries’ Association. Read more.