Following the Council's decision to add the violation of restrictive measures to the list of "EU crimes" on November 28, 2022, and the EU Commission's initial proposal of December 2, 2022, for a directive containing minimum rules concerning the definition of criminal offenses and penalties for the violation of EU ( see our 2023 client alert on the Enforcement of EU Sanctions – Soon New Powers for the European Public Prosecutor's Office? ), the Council and the European Parliament reached political agreement on a new EU directive that introduces harmonized requirements for criminal offenses and common minimum standards for procedure and penalties relating to the violation of EU sanctions on December 12, 2023. Among many other measures, the agreed proposal provides for a maximum penalty of at least five years of imprisonment in relation to certain sanctions violations. Member States remain free to implement laws that allow for even higher sentences.