Environmental liability, crime, and access to justice

The following Practice Notes outline the key pieces of EU legislation linked to environmental liability, crime, and access to environmental justice:

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EU Environmental Crime Directive (EU) 2024/1203—snapshot—provides a snapshot of the key aspects of the EU Environmental Crime Directive, which came into force on 20 May 2024 and replaced Directive 2008/99/EC. The Directive is the first law of its kind globally, as it criminalises cases of severe environmental damage comparable to ecocide. This Practice Note covers the updated list of environmental criminal offences (including qualified offences), liability for environmental crimes, consequences of non-compliance, and access to justice. Note that Directive (EU) 2024/1203 does not apply to Denmark and Ireland, who remain bound by Directive 2008/99/EC.
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EU Environmental Crime Directive—snapshot—provides a snapshot of the key aspects of EU Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of

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