Brussels, May 20 (Agency) New rules on sanctions violations enter into force on Sunday in the European Union, aimed at ensuring that any potential circumvention will be criminally investigated. The offenses to be prosecuted include failure to freeze assets, breach of travel bans or arms embargoes, provision of prohibited or restricted goods and services, transferring funds or assets to be frozen to third parties or providing false information regarding such goods or assets, according to the European Commission.
Furthermore, the new rules will create common standards for penalties for those in breach of sanctions all across the bloc, according to the press release. The rules on freezing and confiscation of proceeds and assets subject to sanctions will also be tightened. Western countries and their allies rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Russia after it launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The EU, in particular, has already adopted 13 sanctions packages targeting Russia’s economy, energy and banking services, among other areas. Moscow says that Western sanctions against Russia have failed.