Environmental crime is expanding rapidly, and is one of the most profitable forms of illegal activity in the world. It is a crime type with a specific set of challenges. Cases are complex, international, and often linked with other crimes, while also requiring highly specialised expertise and multidisciplinary support. Moreover, different legislative and investigative approaches also act as a barrier to successful prosecutions.

It is for these reasons that Member States are increasingly turning to Eurojust to use the Agency’s full range of services to tackle environmental crime. Indeed, when compared to all other crime types, environmental crime cases use the most sophisticated Eurojust services (including coordination meetings/centres and joint investigation teams) the most. The number of new environmental crime cases referred by Member States to Eurojust has tripled in the last two years.

This factsheet summarizes the Agency’s longstanding solid expertise in this area, its cooperation with third countries, as well as its tools and services for close collaboration with all Member States.