Hogan Lovells contributes to WWF report on the Environmental Crime Directive

The report, Environmental Crime Directive: Closing Legal Gaps, highlights the legal reforms needed across Europe to effectively tackle environmental and wildlife crime. In 2024, the European Union adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1203 on the protection of the environment through criminal law - known as the Environmental Crime Directive—which aims to strengthen enforcement against environmental offences across the bloc.

To inform the report, WWF conducted legislative analyses between April 2025 and February 2026 across ten EU Member States, comparing existing national legislation with the requirements of the Directive. The analysis identified legal gaps in every country reviewed, particularly in relation to the scope of environmental offences, sanction frameworks, jurisdiction, the protection of environmental defenders, and access to justice.

A Hogan Lovells team provided pro bono legal support for the project, contributing legislative analysis across several jurisdictions to help assess how national legal frameworks align with the Directive and where reforms may be required ahead of the transposition deadline of 21 May 2026.

Jacqueline Mailly, Senior EU Regulatory Affairs Advisor at Hogan Lovells, said:

“Environmental crime remains one of the most profitable criminal activities globally, yet it has often lacked the legal tools and enforcement attention it requires. We were pleased to be able to support WWF on this important initiative, helping to identify together with colleagues from different jurisdictions, existing gaps in national legislation that should be addressed to ensure that the Environmental Crime Directive can achieve its full impact.”

The Hogan Lovells team further included Nina Spieler, Anastasia Vernikou and Julius Gertz in Brussels, with additional support from Sara Sanz in Madrid.

The project also benefited from collaboration with external law firms Wolff Theiss and Moll Wendén.

You can read the report here.