On 17 March 2022, the European Commission announced the establishment of the “Freeze and Seize” Task Force to ensure coordination in implementing sanctions imposed against the listed Russian and Belarusian individuals across the EU.

The “Freeze and Seize” Task Force is comprised of the Commission, national contact points from each Member State, Eurojust and Europol as well as other EU agencies and bodies as necessary. It will coordinate actions by Member States to seize and, where the national law allows for it, to confiscate assets of the listed Russian and Belarussian persons.

The Task Force will work alongside similar institutions established by the G7 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Australia.

Within the remit of EU sanctions, all assets belonging or controlled by listed persons must be frozen.

The EU Commission’s press release can be found here.

The UK’s statement on the international taskforce can be found here.