European Council to Begin Talks With Parliament on Final Text for Asset Seizure Law

Ministers of Justice in the EU agreed to the European Council's position on proposed minimum rules to trace, freeze and confiscate criminal assets, the council announced, paving the way for talks with the European Parliament on a final text. The rules cover a broad array of crimes, including sanctions violations. The council said people profiting from conducting business with designated parties "will see their yields being seized the same way as traffickers in human beings or drug cartels." The law could require member states to ensure they have appropriate staff and financial and technological resources to trace, seize and manage the assets.