Report on Eurojust’s Casework in Asset Recovery February 2019 Report on Eurojust’s Casework in Asset Recovery 12 February 2019 Report on Eurojust’s Casework in Asset Recovery [Status] Table of Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 1. Asset Freezing ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.1. Asset Tracing ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.1.1. Legal and practical issues ................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.1.2. Eurojust's support in asset tracing ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1.3. Asset Tracing – Highlights for Practitioners ........................................................................................................... 12 1.2. Asset Freezing........................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.2.1. Legal and practical issues ................................................................................................................................................ 15 A. Requirements for issuing and considerations for executing a freezing order or an LoR seeking freezing measures . 15 B. Differences in national legislation regarding possibilities for freezing assets ............................................................................. 17 C. Identification of the national competent authority ................................................................................................................................. 19 D. Choice of legal instrument ................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 E. Simultaneous transmission of LoRs concerning the seizure of money to more than one requested State ....................... 20 F. Restitution of assets to victims or compensation of victims ................................................................................................................. 20 G. Freezing measures in ongoing parallel investigations ........................................................................................................................... 22 H. Communication of the execution of an LoR seeking freezing measures .......................................................................................... 26 I. Asset management.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 J. Challenges and legal remedies .......................................................................................................................................................................... 29 K. Grounds for refusing the execution of a freezing order or LoR seeking freezing measures.................................................... 35 L. Other issues ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 35 1.2.2. Eurojust's support in asset freezing ........................................................................................................................... 36 A. Issuing stage of a freezing order or LoR seeking the freezing measures ........................................................................................ 36 B. Execution stage of a freezing order or LoR seeking freezing measures .......................................................................................... 40 1.2.3. Asset Freezing – Highlights for Practitioners ......................................................................................................... 44 1.3. Judicial cooperation instruments and tools in asset tracing and freezing ...................................... 46 2. Asset Confiscation .......................................................................................................................................... 49 2.1. Asset Confiscation ................................................................................................................................................... 49 2.1.1. Legal and practical issues ................................................................................................................................................ 49 2.1.2. Eurojust's support in asset confiscation ................................................................................................................... 52 2.1.3. Asset Confiscation – Highlights for Practitioners ................................................................................................. 53 2.2. Asset Disposal ........................................................................................................................................................... 55 2.2.1. Legal and practical issues ................................................................................................................................................ 55 A. Sale of confiscated assets ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 55 B. Asset sharing ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 56 C. Restitution of confiscated assets to the victims .......................................................................................................................................... 57 2.2.2. Eurojust's support in asset disposal ........................................................................................................................... 59 A. Sale of confiscated assets ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 59 B. Process leading to the asset-sharing agreement ....................................................................................................................................... 60 2.2.3. Asset Disposal – Highlights for Practitioners ......................................................................................................... 61 2.3. Judicial cooperation instruments and tools in asset confiscation ....................................................... 62 3. Best practice ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 4. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................... 65 Annex Legal Framework ...................................................................................................................................... 67 Page 1 of 69 Report on Eurojust’s Casework in Asset Recovery Executive summary The objective of the Report on Eurojust’s Casework in Asset Recovery is to assist competent judicial authorities in the EU Member States to effectively recover criminal assets and to contribute to the fight against transnational crime. The report is primarily based on the analysis of cases addressing asset recovery issues registered at Eurojust between 1 January 2014 and 31 March 2018, and is complemented by views expressed during dedicated discussions with some Eurojust National Desks. The report constitutes an overview of the main legal and practical issues encountered by Eurojust in its casework in asset recovery, the support provided by Eurojust at any given stage of the asset recovery process, the main judicial cooperation instruments and tools used, and the best practice identified. In relation to asset tracing, the report identifies the benefit of i) identifying the appropriate corresponding competent national authority; ii) concluding such an enquiry prior to seeking assistance; iii) using specialised forensic accountants to both assist in the investigation of the financial information and serve as potential expert testimony, iv) a multi-disciplinary approach to asset tracing at EU level, especially in larger cases, combining the skills of specialist authorities in the Member States; v) raising awareness among national practitioners on the statutory responsibilities of the Asset Recovery Offices and Financial