The purpose of this handbook is to provide to judges, prosecutors, forensic officers and other legal practitioners an overview of the existing European and international instruments and rules aimed at tackling environmental crimes and in particular marine pollution, as well as an analysis of the challenges faced in their implementation and enforcement process.

This publication draws upon the materials and outcomes of a training course for legal professionals from selected EU Member States as well as countries on the road to EU membership, geographically located along the coast of the Adriatic sea (namely Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia). The purpose of the training sessions, held in Lecce, Italy, and Sofia, Bulgaria, was to train legal professionals on the EU legislation and jurisprudence on environmental crimes in order to strengthen their knowledge and competence in the sector as well as their capacity to contribute to their effective enforcement.

It also includes a CD-ROM containing a presentation of the most relevant International treaties and conventions related to the matter as well as of the comprehensive legal framework established by the EU to ensure the implementation of its environmental protection policy.

The handbook is a part of the “Judicial Training and Research on European crimes against the environment and maritime pollution” project, supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice.