The Department of Justice yesterday published the general scheme of the Criminal Justice (Violation of EU Restrictive Measures) Bill 2025, which will transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1226.

The Directive sets out the minimum scope of criminal offences applicable to sanctions breaches and penalties applicable to those offences.

Member states have until 20 May 2025 to transpose the Directive into their national law.

Speaking in May 2024 when the Directive was introduced, Věra Jourová, the European Commission’s vice-president for values and transparency, said: “With Putin continuing his illegal aggression against Ukraine, it is paramount that EU sanctions are fully implemented and the violation of those measures is punished.

“In addition, the new rules will also make it easier for member states to confiscate some of the frozen assets of people and companies that support the war.

“Member states should now swiftly transpose the new rules and make them work in practice.”