Further EU Committees vote to recognise crime of ecocide

Support keeps on growing for the recognition of ecocide within the EU Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law.  Two more EU committees, the Petitions Committee (“PETI”) and the Development Committee (“DEVE”) voted this week on proposals for the directive which is currently under revision, both backed inclusion of a crime of ecocide.

The wording voted for in the committees was as follows:

Petitions committee, rapporteur Caroline Roose MEP (Greens/EFA):
“‘ecocide’ means unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by these acts;”

Development committee, rapporteur Vlad Gheorghe MEP (Renew Europe):
“Member States shall introduce in their national law a crime of ecocide, which shall be considered a serious criminal offence for the purposes of this Directive and shall be defined as unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused.” 

There are still votes to come early next year in the Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs committee (“LIBE”) and most importantly the Legal Affairs committee (“JURI”) before the text is voted on in plenary session in the spring.  

This week’s votes help to build momentum and to show how seriously the issue of recognising ecocide is being taken at the EU level.