The European Commission welcomes the EU’s signature of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law.

This landmark agreement, signed today (Dec 3), marks a significant step in strengthening environmental protection through combating environmental crime across Europe and beyond.

The Convention complements the 2024 Directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. It clearly defines criminal offences harming the environment, establishes minimum rules on penalties for natural and legal persons, and strengthens the enforcement chain.

While the Directive establishes minimum standards for Member States, the Convention builds on these efforts and creates a broader pan-European and international framework. In particular, the Convention establishes binding international standards to define and criminalise serious environmental offences punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

It also strengthens prevention measures, international cooperation to address environmental crime, cross-border investigations, information exchange, and the collection of statistical data. 

The EU is stronger when neighbouring countries have criminal-law standards that are consistent with our own. When we work under similar rules, cooperation becomes smoother, investigations move faster, and accountability is more effective across borders.

Signing the Convention reinforces the EU’s commitment to robust environmental protection and aligns its actions with broader European standards amid heightened geopolitical and environmental risks.

The Convention is expected to enter into force upon ten ratifications, including at least eight member States of the Council of Europe. Alongside Council of Europe member States, the Convention is open for signature by non-member States that participated in the drafting process, as well as by the EU.

Once the Convention enters into force, other non-member States may be invited to accede.