Violation of EU sanctions may be considered a criminal offence

The European Commission proposes to introduce criminal liability for violation of EU sanctions.

“As long as the russian aggression against Ukraine continues, it is necessary to strictly control the implementation of EU restrictive measures. However, the violation of these measures is not punished in any way. The Commission’s proposal establishes common EU rules that will facilitate the investigation and punishment of sanctions violations in all EU member states,” the European Commission website reports.

Depending on the offense, a person’s punishment can be up to five years in prison. Fines of no less than 5% of the annual turnover may be imposed on offending companies.

In the future, this proposal will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council as part of the normal co-legislation procedure.