On Wednesday 14 January 2026, the Council of Europe reported that Luxembourg had become the fifth signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law.
The convention is an international legally binding instrument specifically focused on the criminal dimensions of environmental damage and was opened for signature on 3 December 2025.
According to the council, the convention provides a robust legal framework for states to combat serious environmental crimes that have at times gone unpunished or under-prosecuted and reinforces the message that environmental destruction is not just a policy failure but may also constitute a crime and demand strong legal tools and international cooperation. The convention includes a monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation and accountability.
The council highlighted that the treaty defines and criminalises a wide array of environment-related offences and enables States to prosecute intentional conduct resulting in environmental disasters tantamount to ecocide. Provisions on corporate liability, sanctions, jurisdiction and organised crime reflect the evolving nature of environmental offences and their links to transnational criminal networks.
