Don't pick the flowers or you could land in jail!
This new law could soon be enforced in the 27-member European Union (EU) states. Officials are currently contemplating the passage of stricter laws against green crimes that include picking wild flowers.
In store for offenders are stiff penalties like prison terms and hefty fines. Other punishable crimes are the dumping of hazardous wastes and polluting protected areas.
These stringent measures were leaked to the press following the discovery of a draft directive that outlined these and other offences.
"The nine offences detailed in the directive include the 'taking or damaging' of wild flowers, damage to protected habitats and trading in ozone-depleting substances," according to the Daily Mail.
"Offences such as serious pollution or unlawful transport of nuclear and hazardous substances would carry a jail sentence of two to five years. If death or criminal gangs are involved, the prison sentence would rise to 10 years," it added.
The proposed directive aims to make green crimes punishable in all EU member states. This will also prevent offenders from moving to other EU states that have weaker environmental laws.
"Experience has shown that the existing systems of sanctions have not been sufficient to achieve complete compliance with laws for the protection of the environment. Such compliance can and should be strengthened by the application of criminal sanctions," reads the directive.
"Criminal sanctions are not in force in all member states for all serious environmental offences, even though only criminal penalties will have a sufficiently dissuasive effect," it said.
The directive was welcomed by lawmakers and environmentalists who hope it will be enforced soon.
"If this is going to ratchet up the standards and make them applicable across Europe, then that would be very beneficial," remarked John Sauven, acting executive director of Greenpeace.
If you need flowers, don't pick them from other people's gardens or get those you see outside. Do your share to protect the environment by getting them from trusted florists.
This new law could soon be enforced in the 27-member European Union (EU) states. Officials are currently contemplating the passage of stricter laws against green crimes that include picking wild flowers.
In store for offenders are stiff penalties like prison terms and hefty fines. Other punishable crimes are the dumping of hazardous wastes and polluting protected areas.
These stringent measures were leaked to the press following the discovery of a draft directive that outlined these and other offences.
"The nine offences detailed in the directive include the 'taking or damaging' of wild flowers, damage to protected habitats and trading in ozone-depleting substances," according to the Daily Mail.
"Offences such as serious pollution or unlawful transport of nuclear and hazardous substances would carry a jail sentence of two to five years. If death or criminal gangs are involved, the prison sentence would rise to 10 years," it added.
The proposed directive aims to make green crimes punishable in all EU member states. This will also prevent offenders from moving to other EU states that have weaker environmental laws.
"Experience has shown that the existing systems of sanctions have not been sufficient to achieve complete compliance with laws for the protection of the environment. Such compliance can and should be strengthened by the application of criminal sanctions," reads the directive.
"Criminal sanctions are not in force in all member states for all serious environmental offences, even though only criminal penalties will have a sufficiently dissuasive effect," it said.
The directive was welcomed by lawmakers and environmentalists who hope it will be enforced soon.
"If this is going to ratchet up the standards and make them applicable across Europe, then that would be very beneficial," remarked John Sauven, acting executive director of Greenpeace.
If you need flowers, don't pick them from other people's gardens or get those you see outside. Do your share to protect the environment by getting them from trusted florists.
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