Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-08-Speech-1-089"
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"en.20020408.7.1-089"2
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"Mr President, the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party also welcomes this proposal for a Commission directive, in the same way as it welcomed, equally favourably, the draft framework decision by the Council in December 2001. The Liberal Group would, of course, like to thank the two rapporteurs, Mrs Oomen-Ruijten and Mr Di Lello as well. These two initiatives are a practical response to one of the people’s major concerns: 88% of European citizens want the European Union to take practical measures to protect the environment. This is one of the findings of a Eurobarometer survey carried out less than a year ago and which my fellow Member Mr Coelho mentioned earlier.
In response to acts of ecological delinquency, the Liberal Group supports the position defended by Mrs Oomen-Ruijten, namely that the Community framework under the first pillar is the most suitable. We believe that a directive is the most appropriate tool for establishing a European list of environmental crimes and a common foundation of criminal sanctions.
As for the more specific content of this proposal, I believe, as most of my colleagues do, that incitement, as well as the act itself to breach European environmental legislation, must be punished. Similarly, we should use general terms when referring to breaches of the law, in order to avoid ecological crimes from being swallowed up in a potential legal loophole.
Having said this, and due to the dispute on the legal basis between Parliament and the Commission, on the one side, and the Council, on the other, I believe it is crucial that we take swift action, that we reassure our citizens by taking repressive measures against these modern-day polluters, because, today, and it seems with regard to the environment in particular, the reason why the law is toothless and benefiting unscrupulous individuals is that it is not being implemented. To take an example, most of our Member States have strengthened their criminal weaponry. This is a positive step. At the same time, it is worrying to note that in the same Member States, criminal cases involving the environment represent only 2% of the total number of all litigation. That is why we must use this dissuasive tool at Community level to ensure current regulations are applied, but also so that we are more effective in combating the organised networks which have made pollution their chosen new weapon."@en1
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