Administrative sanctions for environmental crime in selected EU areas

Abstract

Each country in the European Union (EU) has its own legal system of environmental protection inc. rules of eco-crime fighting. The world copes environmental crime, developing better and better structures, laws and control systems. Establishing effective administrative sanction rules may help decrease environmental damage. The goal of the paper is the comparison of administrative sanctions for environmental crime in five different areas of the EU: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The mechanisms of sanctions, fines and penalties in studied areas are based on financial fines. Although the states do their best to develop the most effective tools possible to enforce environmental protection and control its quality, it is not always possible in reality. Understanding and weighing the value of environmental destruction is difficult. It takes into account the human, economic and ecological aspects (considering the quality of the environment closest to the natural state).