EU Proposes Plan To Make Breaking Russian Sanctions A Crime And To Confiscate Frozen Russian Assets To Help Rebuild Ukraine

Reuters: EU to make breaking sanctions against Russia a crime, seizing assets easier 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to make breaking European Union sanctions against Russia a crime, a move that would allow EU governments to confiscate assets of companies and individuals that evade EU restrictions against Moscow. 

Breaking EU sanctions on Russia is now a criminal offence in 12 EU countries. It is either an administrative or a criminal offence in 13 and two treat it only as an administrative offence, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said. Penalties for sanction breaking across the EU vary accordingly. 

The Commission proposal aims to unify that approach to make sanctions evasion a serious crime in all members of the 27-nation bloc, he told a news conference. 

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Update #1: Brussels proposes plan to confiscate frozen Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine (Euronews)  

Update #2: Brussels outlines plan to facilitate seizure of Russian oligarchs’ frozen assets (Financial Times)  

Update #3: EU Proposes to Make Breaking Russia Sanctions a Crime (Antiwar.com)  

WNU Editor: There is a lot of money on the table that the EU wants to grab .... Russia's $300bn on table in EU talks on war repairs (EObserver).