Abstract

This study provides an overview of the path towards approximation of environmental criminal law of EU Member States - including the role played by the 1998 Council of Europe Convention on the protection of the environment through criminal Law - and analyses Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law and Directive 2009/123/EC on ship-source pollution and on the introduction of penalties for infringements. On these grounds, the study provides an assessment of the main strengths and shortcomings of the legislative setting as well as some considerations on the way forward.