Kallas proposes EU prosecutor take over sanctions evasion cases

September 11, 2026 at 05:20 PM2 min

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas proposed on Wednesday that the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) investigate sanctions evasion against Russia. She told EU ambassadors the move would target companies and individuals helping Moscow bypass restrictions and supply military-use goods. The proposal comes as the EU's 21st sanctions package since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine took effect in July.

Key Facts

Kallas presented the proposal to EU ambassadors on Wednesday, according to two diplomats familiar with the discussion.
The initiative would let EPPO investigate EU-based individuals and companies involved in prohibited deals with Russian and Belarusian entities.
EPPO, based in Luxembourg, currently investigates cross-border crimes including fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The EU agreed its 21st sanctions package against Russia in July, targeting oil and gas, financial services and crypto platforms.

Proposal Details

Kallas outlined the initiative at a meeting with EU ambassadors on Wednesday, two diplomats familiar with the discussion said. No concrete mechanism for transferring such cases has yet been proposed. The plan would allow EPPO to investigate individuals and companies in EU member states involved in prohibited transactions with Russian and Belarusian structures. It would also cover those helping move sensitive goods or financial operations through European companies.

Current Enforcement Gaps

National law enforcement agencies currently handle most sanctions violation investigations. Differences in EU member states' legislation and prosecutorial approaches can hinder pursuit of participants in circumvention schemes. EPPO, based in Luxembourg, investigates cross-border crimes including fraud, corruption and money laundering. Assigning sanctions violation cases to EPPO would effectively expand the European body's remit.

Sanctions Context

The EU agreed its 21st sanctions package against Russia in July since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. The new restrictions targeted the oil and gas sector, financial services and cryptocurrency platforms. The EU believes these platforms are used to move funds in circumvention of sanctions.