The Directive is awaiting approval by the EU Council. In this way, it will be possible to confiscate Russian assets due to violation of sanctions and the onset of criminal liability. The bill concerns all restrictions that Brussels will introduce.
Bypassing sanctions will be considered a punishable act. The initiative guarantees criminal liability and even imprisonment, and companies may be subject to fines.
The European Parliament believes that there is now a practice of searching for sanctions violators in EU countries “with the weakest law enforcement.” The new law aims to establish “consistent definitions of violations,” including not freezing funds, violating travel bans or arms embargoes, or transferring money to sanctioned individuals. It will also be a crime to provide financial services or legal advice in violation of sanctions.