On 15 June Montenegro signed the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law (CETS No. 228).

The purpose of the Convention is to prevent and combat environmental crime, promote national and international cooperation, and establish minimum legal standards to guide States in their national legislations. It is an important pillar of the Council of Europe’s Strategy on Environment and is actively promoted across member States and beyond.

Montenegro’s signature further underscores the growing recognition that protecting the environment is inseparable from safeguarding human rights, public health, democracy, and the rule of law. It now joins Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova and the European Union in supporting this important initiative.