International Anti-Corruption Day 2021: Spotlight on Individuals Sanctioned for Serious Corruption

Today, 9th of December, marks Anti-Corruption Day. As cross-border corruption continues to threaten the rule of law and sustainable development, we at CiFAR have continued documenting the people under anti-corruption sanctions and analysing sanctions as a tool against cross-border corruption and for asset recovery. Anti-corruption sanctions The theft of public funds and resources by public Read more about International Anti-Corruption Day 2021: Spotlight on Individuals Sanctioned for Serious Corruption[…]

The EU and UK are releasing the money of deposed dictators

Why is the EU lifting sanctions on politicians accused of corruption in Egypt, Tunisia and Ukraine, when so little money has been recovered? On 12 March, the EU lifted sanctions against nine Egyptians responsible for the misappropriation of Egyptian state funds and unfroze the suspected proceeds of corruption, claiming that “the regime had served its Read more about The EU and UK are releasing the money of deposed dictators[…]

Transparency International wants to reopen case into Mubarak assets

Although the European Council decided to unfreeze the assets of the Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak’s family on 12 March, the NGO Transparency International is pushing to reopen the case. In France, can the preliminary investigation opened in 2011 against the Mubarak clan for organised money laundering and corruption yield anything? Transparency International France, a Read more about Transparency International wants to reopen case into Mubarak assets[…]

EU MISAPPROPRIATION SANCTIONS TEN YEARS ON – FACTSHEET 2021

BACKGROUND Following the revolutions in 2011 in Tunisia and Egypt and 2014 in Ukraine, the Council of the European Union imposed misappropriation sanctions on people suspected of corruption from the ousted regimes. These require that any assets relating to people on the list, including real estate and bank accounts, are frozen in all EU Member Read more about EU MISAPPROPRIATION SANCTIONS TEN YEARS ON – FACTSHEET 2021[…]

The new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime lacks corruption focus

On 7th December, after years of talks and preparatory works in 2020, the European Council announced the adoption of the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. This new sanction regime does not have a specific geographic focus and will allow the EU to target individuals and entities involved in serious human rights violations and abuses across Read more about The new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime lacks corruption focus[…]

Can international anti-corruption sanctions help advance sustainable development?

On 3rd September 2020 CiFAR participated in the first Global Forum on Illicit Financial Flows and Sustainable Development, organised by the German and Norwegian governments. One of the workshops we organised focused on the potential of international targeted sanctions to fight corruption.

The European Court of Justice annuls Ukrainian sanctions – what now?

The European Court of Justice in its decision of the 11 July 2019 annulled the 2014-2018 EU sanctions that had been in force to freeze the assets of several high-ranking former Ukrainian officials since 2013, including those of former president Yanukovych. These asset freezes had been put in place after the Ukrainian revolution to support Read more about The European Court of Justice annuls Ukrainian sanctions – what now?[…]

Freeze, confiscate, restore? Swiss ideas for future EU sanctions

This article is drawn from Clara Portela’s report for CiFAR – Sanctioning kleptocrats: An assessment of EU misappropriation sanctions written for CiFAR’s EU Sanctions Watch project. The blog was initially written for the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and can be read in full on their website.  Sanctions for ‘misappropriation’ have proved their worth in forging ties Read more about Freeze, confiscate, restore? Swiss ideas for future EU sanctions[…]

What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?

With the help of their corrupt networks, kleptocrats steal billions from their citizens every year. One of the tools the European Union has at its disposal to fight kleptocrats are sanctions that freeze their assets. On 6th of March, at a Brussels event co-organised by our partners at Transparency International EU, CiFAR launched EU Sanctions Watch – Read more about What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?[…]