EU proposes to make seizing assets easier, including of sanctioned oligarchs -document

FILE PHOTO: Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's super yacht Solaris is seen at Barcelona Port in Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/ Albert Gea

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission wants to make it easier to confiscate assets linked to serious illegal activities and suspected criminals, including those evading European Union sanctions against the Kremlin, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

The legislative proposal, due to be published on Wednesday and still subject to changes, is aimed at addressing a longstanding weakness in the EU where many states lack sufficiently robust legal frameworks to seize criminal assets, making it easier for criminals to hide their resources and benefit from illegal activities.