The European Crime Directive, 2008 directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law is currently being revised.
This presents an opportunity to add ecocide as a new criminal offense. This would create an enforceable deterrent to the most severe and either widespread or long-term harms to nature.
Ecocide is currently mentioned in the preamble of proposed revision – however to be properly inserted into the directive it needs to be listed in the operative part of the text where the offences are listed.
This would have a range of benefits including preventing the most serious of environmental destruction, strengthening existing environmental laws in all EU member states, and stimulating economic transition.
4 out of the 5 relevant committees have voted in favour of the inclusion of ecocide as a crime in the Directive. We now await the JURI committee and plenary votes in the next few months.
Alongside Stop Ecocide International we are calling for Ecocide to be listed in the operative part of the revised directive text.
How can I support this initiative?
Please sign here the WE MOVE EUROPE petition which already has 75,000 signatures calling for the EU to include ecocide in the revised Environmental Crime Directive.
Stop Ecocide International has developed a position paper which we have endorsed.
You can read the full position paper here:
https://www.stopecocide.earth/eu-crime-directive-position-paper
You can also endorse this position paper by signing as an NGO or as an Individual:
https://www.stopecocide.earth/eu-crime-directive-position-paper
These endorsements will be used to demonstrate the strength of support from civil society for the inclusion of the crime of ecocide into the operative text of the European Crime Directive.