EU seeks more clout against sanctioned Russian oligarchs

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission is proposing to confiscate the frozen assets of oligarchs who try to violate the bloc’s sanctions adopted in response to the Russian war in Ukraine. The EU’s executive arm on Wednesday proposed two EU laws that would require the bloc’s 27 member states to cede a degree of jealously guarded national sovereignty over criminal matters. One piece of draft legislation seeks new European rules on freezing and confiscating the assets of people blacklisted by the EU. The second legislative proposal aims to expand the list of acts deemed to be “EU crimes” by including breaches of European sanctions.  Almost 10 billion euros ($10.7 billion) of oligarchs’ assets have so far been frozen by EU member countries.