“The proposed directive will include sanctions for individuals.
These sanctions will apply to all the offenses mentioned above and equally require Member States to apply effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties,” the EC said in a statement.
For the most serious crimes, the proposed directive establishes a maximum penalty of at least five years' imprisonment that judges in member states should impose on individuals.
On November 28, the Council of the European Union included sanctions circumvention in the list of criminal offences.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed confidence that the decision of the Council of the European Union is a legal arbitrariness.