The European Commission has sent warning letters to 18 EU member states for failing to notify the full implementation of the Directive on the criminalization of violations of EU restrictive measures. This was reported on the commission's website, writes UNN.
Details
It is noted that letters were sent to Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.
This refers to a directive that establishes common rules harmonizing the definition of criminal offenses and penalties for violations of EU restrictive measures.
It aims to prevent circumvention of EU sanctions, including those adopted after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The harmonization of national criminal law in this area is intended to facilitate the investigation of violations of EU sanctions in all member states.
Member states were supposed to implement this directive into their national legislation by May 20, 2025. As of today, 18 states have not notified the commission of full implementation
These countries now have two months to respond, complete implementation, and report on their measures. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the commission may continue the process of holding states accountable.