Commenting on the European Commission's proposal for minimum penalties for environmental pollution across the EU, SNP President and Euro-MP Ian Hudghton broadly welcomed the plans as 'a step towards a cleaner, greener Europe'.

But the SNP MEP warned that the Commission would have to tread carefully to ensure that the plans do not allow for a weakening of environmental protection measures in countries where strong penalties already exist.

The European Commission has announced proposals for EU wide penalties for environmental crimes, defining what constitutes serious environmental crime. Areas covered include illegal waste shipments, pollution with hazardous substances and cross border smuggling of rare species. The proposals aim to introduce common criteria for defining so called 'green' crime in all EU member states, punishable with substantial fines.  Ian Hudghton said:

"Protecting our environment from deliberate and negligent pollution is an area where it makes sense to co-operate with our European neighbours. Pollution is often no respecter of national borders and we could do with more cross frontier co-operation to tackle these problems.

"One area where this could make a difference is in the illegal tipping or release of waste where the Commission proposes to bring in pan European penalties for polluters.

"Whilst we should be wary of unnecessary Brussels interference in our criminal justice systems, protecting our environment is an area of common concern.

"However, the European Commission must ensure that the net effect of these new rules is an increase in environmental protection measures across the continent. Indeed, countries that already have strong anti pollution laws need reassurance that there will be no dumbing down allowed.

"Nonetheless, these ambitious new proposals are an important milestone for the EU. With talk of fines of up to a million pounds for serious offenders, these proposals will send a very clear signal to Europe's polluters to clean up their act."