By Order no. 869/2026 published in the Official Gazette no. 417 of May 18, 2026, the use of recording equipment (bodycam, dashcam, drones) by commissioners of the National Environmental Guard (GNM) during inspection actions is officially regulated.
What does it stipulate?
The normative act establishes the procedure by which GNM commissioners can audio and video record control and inspection actions. The recordings will be made with equipment provided by the institution, such as portable cameras (bodycam), vehicle-mounted cameras (dashcam), and drones (UAS). The procedure details that recording begins at the moment of travel to the inspected location and ends upon completion of the action. Commissioners have the obligation to inform the targeted persons that the intervention is being recorded, although this information can also be provided during or at the end of the inspection, if the situation requires it.
A fundamental aspect is that recordings can be made in both public spaces and private spaces where activities with a possible impact on the environment are carried out, without the consent of the targeted persons being necessary. This means that any inspection conducted on the premises of a factory, a warehouse, a construction site, or any other private property of a company can be fully documented audio-video. These recordings constitute, according to the law, means of proof and can be used in administrative or judicial procedures to support GNM’s findings.
The Order also regulates the use of drones for surveillance of hard-to-reach areas, those with pollution potential, or for collecting evidence within investigations. Their use will only be carried out by authorized personnel and with the prior approval of GNM management. All recordings, regardless of the equipment used, will be stored on secure GNM servers for a standard period of 6 months. After this term, they will be destroyed, except in cases where they constitute evidence in an ongoing case, in which situation they are kept until the final resolution of the case.
To whom does it apply?
The measures apply to any legal entity or natural person who may be subject to an inspection by the National Environmental Guard. Practically, any company whose activity has or may have an impact on the environment is targeted. Among the directly affected sectors are:
- Manufacturing industry: factories, plants, production workshops.
- Waste management: collectors, recyclers, ecological landfill operators.
- Construction and real estate development: construction sites, mineral aggregate exploitations.
- Agriculture and animal husbandry: farms, large-scale agricultural exploitations.
- Energy and natural resources: power plants, extraction points.
- Transport and logistics: especially companies transporting hazardous substances or waste.
- Trade and retail: in the context of obligations regarding packaging management.
What should you do?
- Instruct key personnel (site managers, environmental managers, legal advisors) regarding the new procedure. Employees who interact directly with GNM inspectors must be aware that their actions and statements are recorded and may constitute evidence.
- Review internal inspection management procedures. Clearly establish who is the designated person to accompany the inspection team and what are the communication protocols to ensure professional and documented interaction.
- Ensure rigorous compliance with environmental legislation. The existence of objective video recordings will reduce the ability to challenge sanctions in the case of obvious non-conformities and will increase the stakes of correctly documenting all operations.
- Document in turn, transparently, the interaction with the inspection team. Keeping your own record of discussions and verified areas (internal note, meeting minutes) can provide additional context in case of a dispute.
Source: Official Gazette, Part I, no. 417 of May 18, 2026.
Note: This material is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal, tax, or business advice. As the interpretation and application of legal provisions may vary significantly depending on the specific circumstances of each entity, we recommend seeking specialized legal assistance before adopting any operational decisions based on these changes.