Approved: Directive on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union Restrictive measures

Posted on 16.05.2024

Proposed in December 2022, the Directive on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures, which provides for the introduction of criminal offences to prosecute and judge violations or circumventions of European economic sanctions, was adopted on 3 April 2024!  

Circumventing or violating asset freezing measures will constitute criminal offences in the Member States, exposing individuals to fines and imprisonment. Legal entities face a fine of €40,000,000 or 5% of their global turnover. These pecuniary sanctions may also be accompanied by a prohibition on accessing public procurement markets.  

Member States have 12 months to transpose this Directive into domestic law. 

For more information, please contact Aline Lautenberg, General Counsel and Director General