EUFJE cooperates closely with other networks of practitioners, such as the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law, the European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment and EnviCrimeNet.
This includes launching joint projects and conferences.
The last 4 Networks Conference was held on 28-29 September 2023 in Rome, Italy. Following this successful conference, the 4 Networks have released on 3 October a statement.
The statement focusses on 5 key topics that the networks consider critical in tackling environmental crimes, namely:
- new techniques to prevent and detect environmental offences
- the need for administrative and criminal law enforcement to complement each other.
- making environmental crime unprofitable.
- assessing, remediating and compensating for the damage incurred.
- measuring enforcement results.
You can find more information about the conference, including the statement, programme, presentations, photos and videos here:
4 Networks – Cooperation in Strengthening Environmental Enforcement
In 2016 and 2017 the enforcement networks organised joint conferences to strengthen enforcement of EU environment and nature law and the compliance chain as a whole.
Supported by their key partner, the European Commission, these conferences have provided a forum for highlighting common challenges and practical solutions whilst examining case studies that help the less experienced to learn from more experienced practitioners.
After two successful joint conferences IMPEL, EUFJE, ENPE and EnviCrimeNet organised a 4 Networks Day on 21 May 2021 as a virtual event to bring together specialists involved in fighting environmental crime.
The overall aim was to improve enforcement of environmental law and to join forces by bringing regulators, inspectors, police officers, prosecutors and judges together. This event ran instead of the planned “live” conference, which has been postponed to May 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 4 Networks Day concentrated on two key topics: the revision of the Directive 2008/99/EC on environmental crime and the next EU multi-annual Policy Cycle to tackle Organized and Serious International Crime (2022-2025).
In the afternoon, participants debated in 5 parallel, case-oriented workshops on the evaluation of ecological damages in court (BIOVAL), Shipment of Waste Enforcement Actions (SWEAP), Illegal plastic waste shipment, Wildlife crime, F-gasses and biodiesel fraud.
The 4 Networks Day has led to 2 Statements of the 4 Networks on the abovementioned key topics. These statements are attached to a Joint Statement of the Networks. These statements, the presentations and recordings can be found here.
IMPEL
IMPEL provides support for the organisation of our annual conference and our secretariat.
EUFJE participated in the SPIDERWEB / IMPEL Strategic Project to Increase the Detection and Disruption of Environmental Crime in the Western Balkans and formulated recommendations with respect to the functioning of the courts.
EUFJE delivered presentations during the IMPEL Annual Waste and TFS conference in Romania and the WasteForce Training in Portugal in 2019.
EUFJE is represented in the High-Level Advisory Board of the WasteForce project.
ENPE
During the Brussels Conference in 2010, for the first time, the Forum brought together public prosecutors from the different members states of the EU. In doing so, the Forum was instrumental in the creation of the European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE).
EUFJE is a partner in the LIFE project to develop the network and to undertake a programme of support for the operative work of prosecutors. The project aimed at improving compliance with EU Environmental Law by addressing uneven and incomplete implementation across Member States through improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of prosecutors and judges in combating environmental crime.
Working Group 4 – Sanctioning, Prosecution & Judicial Practice looked at ongoing practical issues around enforcement of the Environmental Crime Directive, and how best to tackle these through capacity building and other means. This WG was chaired by EUFJE in the person of Dr. Carole Billiet. The working group has published various interim reports and a final report with key observations and recommendations.
Sanctioning Environmental Crime LIFE-ENPE: Interim Report March 2018, Interim Report March 2019, Interim Report April 2020, Final Report June 2020