Commissioner Michael McGrath, in a written answer on 20 July 2026, acknowledged that only two of nine Member States that have notified national measures have fully transposed the EU directive on environmental crime, as the 21 May 2026 deadline passed. The answer, responding to a question from MEPs Saskia Bricmont, Marie Toussaint, and Sirpa Pietikäinen, signals the Commission's intent to closely monitor implementation and take appropriate steps against delays, impacting Member States' judicial authorities and environmental defenders who rely on uniform enforcement.
The question, tabled by Greens/EFA and EPP MEPs, highlighted risks from environmental crimes linked to organised crime and called for ambitious implementation with sufficient resources. McGrath's answer noted that the Commission organised three transposition workshops, provided guidance, and held bilateral meetings to support Member States. As of June 2026, nine Member States had notified measures, but only two indicated full transposition.
by 2028 under Article 25, with a full evaluation by 2031. To standardise statistical data reporting under Articles 22-23, the Environmental Crimes Data Committee has been set up, holding two meetings so far with a third planned for September 2026. The Commission's approach balances support for Member States with the threat of infringement procedures, though no concrete deadlines for enforcement actions were given. The answer remains largely declarative, lacking specific targets or sanctions for non-compliant states, which may leave environmental NGOs and legal practitioners seeking stronger guarantees.