Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the freezing and confiscation of proceeds of crime in the European Union

This proposal for a Directive aims to make it easier for Member States' authorities to confiscate and recover the profits that criminals make from cross-border serious and organised crime.

It seeks to attack the financial incentive which drives crime, to protect the economy against criminal infiltration and corruption, and to return criminal profits to public authorities providing services for citizens.

It responds to the current economic context, where a financial crisis and a slowdown in economic growth creates new opportunities for criminals, increased vulnerabilities in our economy and financial system, and new challenges for public authorities to finance growing needs for social services and assistance.

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)085: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:085:FIN

European Commission: SWD(2012)31: Impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2012:0031:FIN:EN:PDF

European Commission: SWD(2012)32: Summary of the impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2012:0032:FIN:EN:PDF

FRA: FRA Opinion: No.3/2012 (4.12.12): Opinion of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on the Confiscation of proceeds of crime http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-opinion-3-2012_confiscation-of-proceeds-of-crime.pdf

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