Development tendencies and latest results of the environmental criminal law of the European Union

Abstract

This study aims to outline the development trends and latest results of the European Union Environmental Criminal Law. The EU legislator issued several criminal laws to criminalize and sanction behaviors that harm or endanger the environment and nature. Based on the strengthened criminal law competencies of the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Commission developed a directive proposal in 2021 to significantly broaden the range of punishable conduct and strengthen the range of applicable sanctions. This is expected to impose legislative duties on the Hungarian legislator.