The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation, formally Regulation 2017/821 of 17 May 2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for importers in the European Union of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, came into force on 1 January 2021, with the aim of stopping the financing of armed groups and security forces through the trade of 3TG from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

On 15 December 2021, the European Commission published its long-awaited proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law replacing the Environmental Crime Directive of 19 November 2008, with the same objective of supporting the protection of the environment by laying down criminal offences and related sanctions for the most harmful and serious environmental crimes.

On 2 December 2021, the Belgian Federal Parliament adopted by a large majority a resolution proposed by the country’s green political parties (Ecolo-Groen) aiming at recognising the crime of ecocide in Belgian and international criminal laws.

In April 2015, the NGO Climate Case lodged a lawsuit against the Belgian federal government as well as the governments of the country’s three regions arguing that the four governments are falling short of their climate commitments. On 17 June 2021, the Brussels French-Speaking Court of First Instance released a landmark decision, in the context of an increasing number of climate change claims and decisions worldwide.

On 13 April 2021, the NGO ClientEarth announced the filing of a landmark legal action in Belgium against the National Bank of Belgian’s implementation of the European Central Bank’s Corporate Sector Purchase Programme, “to stop “quantitative easing” from European central banks flowing to fossil fuel companies and polluting firms that are exacerbating the climate crisis.