The European Union is preparing a law that will allow sanctions against relatives of Russian oligarchs

The European Union is preparing a clearer legislative justification for including relatives of Russian oligarchs, officials and other Putin regime supporters in sanctions lists.

Source. Bloomberg

The recent decision of the European Court of Justice in the case of the mother of the founder of the Wagner PMC Yevhen Prigozhin that kinship is not a sufficient basis for imposing sanctions adds urgency to the preparation of new legal rules.

The European External Action Service, which is responsible for drawing up sanctions lists, informed EU countries on Wednesday that it will soon submit a draft law, sources familiar with the situation told the agency.

Estonia and a number of other countries have proposed expanded criteria for inclusion in the lists to prevent those involved from circumventing restrictions imposed after the war in Ukraine and hiding money and assets by transferring them to relatives.

The new legislation provides for the preparation of a strong evidence base showing that family members of sanctioned Russians unjustifiably received property, funds and other benefits from them and could help circumvent sanctions.

It is noted that despite the victory in the Court of Appeal, Prigozhin's mother was again included in the EU sanctions list on March 13 on the basis of additional data.

Another Putin supporter trying to hide foreign assets with the help of relatives is propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. His fifth villa in Italy has been found – at least two villas are registered in his mother's name.