#BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 27Law on the Adaptation of Criminal Offenses and Sanctions for Violations of Restrictive Measures of the European Union
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This German federal law, published on 5 February 2026, implements EU requirements by updating national criminal law to better address violations of EU restrictive measures (sanctions). It adjusts existing criminal offenses and sanctions in the German Criminal Code and related laws to ensure effective prosecution of breaches such as circumventing trade bans, financial restrictions, or asset freezes imposed by the EU. The legislation is led by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and falls under areas including foreign trade, customs administration, and voluntary jurisdiction. It provides clearer definitions of punishable acts and aligns penalties with the severity of EU sanctions violations.
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Key Changes
- Adapts criminal offenses in the German Criminal Code to explicitly cover violations of EU restrictive measures
- Increases or aligns sanctions/penalties for breaches of EU sanctions including trade bans and financial restrictions
- Provides clearer legal definitions of punishable acts related to circumvention of EU sanctions
+ 2 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Ensure customs administration is equipped to detect and report violations of EU trade ban restrictive measures
Update and align national criminal law provisions in the German Criminal Code to address violations of EU restrictive measures, including circumventing trade bans, financial restrictions, and asset freezes
Prosecute and penalize breaches of EU restrictive measures with adjusted criminal sanctions that align with the severity of the violation
Implement clearer definitions of punishable acts related to EU sanctions violations in criminal law