Bid to cooperate on freezing of criminal assets

Date: 15/03/01

By John Shelley

LAW courts in one member state would be able to order the freezing of criminal assets in any other EU country under plans tabled jointly by France, Sweden and Belgium.

The proposals are aimed at thwarting criminals involved in drugs, money laundering, trafficking in human beings, counterfeiting the euro or defrauding the Union budget.

The measures are the first in a series designed to force Europe's courts to recognise each other's decisions.

Once assets have been frozen, courts in the country that made the order could apply for property to be transferred across borders - either to be confiscated, used to compensate victims or provided as evidence. Alternatively, the assets would be kept until the requesting state says otherwise, or in exceptional circumstances, when the host nation agrees for them to be released.

"This is the first concrete legal instrument to implement the work programme on mutual recognition that we agreed in December," said one diplomat. "We felt this was an area which has an immediate political and practical importance."

The proposals should be formally agreed by ministers before the end of the year.

Law courts in one Member State would be able to order the freezing of criminal assets in any other EU country under plans tabled jointly by France, Sweden and Belgium.