Francesco Guarascio & Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – According to Reuters, the European Commission would like to make it simpler to seize assets related to illegal activity and suspect criminals. This includes those who evade European Union sanctions against Russia.

Although the legislative proposal is due to be published Wednesday, it will still face changes. This legislation targets a long-standing EU problem where many EU countries lack sufficient legal frameworks to seize illegal assets. Criminals have an easier time hiding their funds and getting rich from illegal activities.

These weaknesses were further revealed by the conflict in Ukraine. Many countries are having difficulty freezing assets of those sanctioned EU members for their links to the Kremlin. Many more do not have the legal authority to take away frozen assets.

These weaknesses would be addressed by the legislative proposal, which creates a common legal structure.

Terrorism, involvement in criminal organisations, money laundering and human trafficking are some of the crimes that the new rules apply. A separate proposal will also be published this Wednesday.

Although asset seizures require convictions in general, the draft law allows them to be permitted pending trial for certain suspected criminals and when “transferred” by an accused or suspected person to third parties, including relatives.

According to EU authorities, one of the biggest obstacles in the enforcement of sanctions against Moscow was that people affected had their assets recorded under another name or moved them prior to the implementation.

Didier REYNDERS, EU justice commissar, said that “We’re working on an EU tool to make confiscations everywhere possible in all EU States” while declaring the new measures. One of his ultimate goals was to transfer the proceeds of these confiscations back to Ukraine, he stated.

For the idea to become law, it must have the support of the EU governments. EU governments are usually cautious about any reforms that would affect their criminal laws.