Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-07-Speech-5-043"
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"en.20000707.3.5-043"2
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"Mr President, speaking on behalf of the Socialist Group on this Danish initiative for a framework directive on combating environmental crime, I must say that I support the principle of this initiative. Environmental crime, whether it be the illegal trade in endangered species of flora and fauna or their products, or whether it be the illegal export and dumping of toxic waste in other countries, either inside or outside the European Union, is a growing and increasingly a cross-border problem.
Those engaged in these crimes in the search for profit hide within the interstices of European law. This cannot be allowed to continue. It is important that we have legislation in place to protect us against serious environmental crime before we see further enlargement of the European Union.
At the moment, we have nothing to combat these crimes but derisory financial penalties. We must impose prison sentences as well as serious financial penalties and orders for restitution when people are found guilty of environmental crimes. We must identify as culprits not the victims who drive the lorries full of toxic waste, or hawk the products which threaten species, but those who make the decisions and who supply the goods, the big men and women rather than the little men and women.
As usual, of course, the devil is in the detail. The Danes want harmonisation in criminal law, increased European cooperation, a register of expertise and know-how and the use of Europol. Some difficulties exist in resolving all of these to the satisfaction of the 15 Member States of the Union. All can be resolved, but some will have to wait. It is probably too early at this stage, for example, to widen Europol’s remit without overloading the work of this important organisation.
This proposal suffers from the same problems we have too often in the European Union. Without increased resources, Europol’s capabilities are limited, but I congratulate Mr Di Lello Finuoli on his report."@en1
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