An important part of the research project "European Union Action to Fight Environmental Crime" (EFFACE), which is coordinated by Ecologic Institute, is a series of workshops. They served both to present results of the research project and to invite feedback from academic experts, policy-makers and practitioners. Summaries of the workshops are available for download.

"Instruments, Actors and Institutions in the Fight Against Environmental Crime"

Berlin, 21 January 2014

The goal of the workshop was to develop a better understanding of the scope and success of approaches on combating environmental crime at various levels: national, EU and international. Research experts in the field of environmental crime, scientists and enforcement officials representing institutions at all these levels pooled their expertise to develop recommendations on how the EU could combat environmental crime more effectively.

For more information, see also a more detailed description and the Summary document of the workshop on "Instruments, Actors and Institutions".

"Role of the Criminal Justice System" & "Environmental Crime and Organised Crime”

Catania, 23-24 June 2014

The two workshops brought together enforcement officials, academic experts in the field of environmental crime and NGO representatives. The objective was to develop recommendations on how the EU could improve the enforcement of existing legislation dealing with environmental crime and better understand the connections with organised crime. Both workshops introduced recent research conducted by EFFACE partners on environmental crime and relevant legislation in selected Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Particular attention was given to changes in national legislation before and after the adoption of the Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law (2008/99/EC) and the Directive on ship-source pollution (2005/35/EC).

For more information, see also the detailed description of the workshops and the summary documents Summary of the workshop on "The Role of the Criminal Justice System" and Summary of the workshop on "Environmental Crime and Organised Crime".

"Environmental Liability and Environmental Crime"

Brussels, 6 November 2014

The workshop brought together a broad variety of participants, including academics, practitioners and representatives of NGOs and European and national public bodies. The main objective of the workshop was to discuss and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Environmental Liability Directive (Directive 2004/35/EC, ELD) and related instruments, for instance the Environmental Crime Directive (Directive 2008/99/CE, ECD). The links between provisions on environmental liability and provisions on environmental crime at national level were discussed along with lessons learnt and experiences and comparative advantages and disadvantages of different instruments.

Summary of the workshop on "Environmental Liability and Environmental Crime"

"Making the Case Against Environmental Crime"

25 March 2015, Granada

EFFACE organised this workshop to present the results of the case studies that were developed by various EFFACE partners. Additionaly, the usefulness and limits of case studies as a method for studying environmental crime and developing policy recommendations were discussed.

Summary of the workshop "Making the Case Against Environmental Crime"

"Effectively Combating Environmental Crime - What Works Best?"

Berlin, 28 May 2015

One part of the EFFACE research is an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of different additional measures the EU could take to fight environmental crime more effectively. In the workshop, the results of this research were presented with the purpose of receiving feedback from workshop participants. Additional presentations shed light on what approaches are likely to be most effective in deterring environmental crime in which circumstances.

Background Note for the workshop "Effectively Combating Environmental Crime - What Works Best?"

Summary of the workshop "Effectively Combating Environmental Crime - What Works Best?"

"The Costs and Impacts of Environmental Crime"

Catania, 18 June 2015

The purpose of this workshop was to discuss different ways of quantifying and measuring impacts of environmental crime in order to better understand where improved enforcement can yield significant results. Quantifying such impacts if often diffcult due to a lack of data or simply where impacts are difficult to quantify and are more qualitative in nature.

Background note for the workshop on "Costs and Impacts of Environmental Crime"

"Environmental Crime in the EU: Is there a Need for Further Harmonization?"

The Hague, 9 September 2015

The workshop dealt with the necessity and desirability of further EU harmonisation with respect to EU environmental criminal law and enforcement, and possible related issues. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss which route European environmental criminal law should take to contribute to better enforcement of the rules against environmental crime. One possible route is further harmonization while another possibility would be to get more grip on the way in which inspections take place in Member States, which would, for example, be a benchmarking of monitoring and inspection activities by a European environmental agency, or a network like IMPEL (EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental law). Another question discussed was whether a mandatory system of data collection should be put in place as a result of which there would be more reliable data, e.g. on the number of classified installations, inspections, violations and remedies.

Background note for the workshop "Environmental Crime in the EU: Is there a Need for Further Harmonization?"

Summary of the workshop "Environmental Crime in the EU: Is there a Need for Further Harmonization?"

"Enhancing the EU's Efforts to Combat Environmental Crime - the Path Ahead"

London, 22 October 2015

This was the last of nine EFFACE workshops. This workshop presented the results and policy recommendations that EFFACE has produced and invited feedback by experts and practitioners. EFFACE developed recommendations adressed at the EU, but also at Member States, on how to better combat environmental crime.

Background note for the workshop "Enhancing the EU's Efforts to Combat Environmental Crime - the Path Ahead"

Summary of the workshop "Enhancing the EU’s Efforts to Combat Environmental Crime – the Path Ahead"