Revision of Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime and proposal for a new directive on asset recovery offices

BRIEFING Implementation Appraisal Revision of Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime and proposal for a new directive on asset recovery offices This briefing is one in a series of 'implementation appraisals', produced by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), on the operation of existing EU legislation in practice. Each briefing focuses on a specific EU law, which is likely to be amended or reviewed, as envisaged in the European Commission's annual work programme. 'Implementation appraisals' aim to provide a succinct overview of publicly available material on the implementation, application and effectiveness to date of an EU law, drawing on input from EU institutions and bodies, as well as external organisations. They are provided by the EPRS Ex-Post Evaluation Unit, to assist parliamentary committees in their consideration of new European Commission proposals, once tabled. SUMMARY Confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime is a key tool for depriving criminals of illgotten gains that could be reinvested in further criminal activities. Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime was adopted in 2014 to harmonise the rules by introducing minimum standards. In 2019, following a joint statement by the Parliament and Council, a dedicated staff working document on non-conviction based confiscation measures in the EU was prepared by the Commission,...