Calibrating green compliance: EU framework for effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties in environmental protection

This article examines the evolving framework of the European Union’s approach to environmental sanctions. It dissects the cornerstone principle of effective and dissuasive penalties, exploring its foundation in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The analysis then progresses by scrutinising specific legislative instruments, such as the Environmental Crime Directive, which establish more detailed requirements for environmental offences, including the types and levels of penalties. Furthermore, the article explores the intricate relationship between criminal and administrative liability in the context of environmental law. This exploration incorporates recent case law on the application of the principle of legality and the ne bis in idem principle in environmental matters.