The Court of Justice, in its judgment of 13 September 2005, Case C-176/03, Commission v Council , while noting that, as a general rule, the European Community does not have competence in criminal matters, ruled that that finding did not ‘prevent the Community legislature, when the application of effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties by the competent national authorities is an essential measure for combating serious environmental offences, from taking measures which relate to the criminal law of the Member States which it considers necessary in order to ensure that the rules which it lays down on environmental protection are fully effective’ (point 48).
The Court of Justice, in its judgment of 13 September 2005, Case C-176/03, Commission v Council , while noting that, as a general rule, the European Community does not have competence in criminal matters, ruled that that finding did not ‘prevent the Community legislature, when the application of effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties by the competent national authorities is an essential measure for combating serious environmental offences, from taking measures which relate to the criminal law of the Member States which it considers necessary in order to ensure that the rules which it lays down on environmental protection are fully effective’ (point 48).