EU court ruling boosts commission's powers

A landmark ruling by the EU's highest court has boosted the European Commission's powers by giving it the right to tell member states to impose criminal sanctions for offences against EU law.

Under the European Court of Justice's ruling on Tuesday (13 September), which was specific to environmental law, serious environment offences in the future may be deemed criminal offences.

However, the ruling is likely to have far wider implications.

"The court strengthens the possibil...