The revised directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law entered into force on 21 May 2024 in the European Union (EU), placing its member states under a two-year transposition obligation. It establishes minimum rules with regard to the definition of criminal offences, penalties, prevention and enforcement measures in order to protect the environment more effectively. A first blog post analysed the characteristics of environmental offences and penalties under the directive. The present post focuses on the novel category of ‘qualified environmental offences’ incurring more severe penalties than other offences on account of their devastating impact on the environment. In particular, it considers how to articulate qualified offences under EU law with the emerging crime of ecocide under international law.