EU Commission launches EU sanctions whistleblower tool

The The EU’s politically independent executive arm. It is responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation, and it implements the decisions of the European Parliament and the Council. European Commission is launching an EU sanctions whistleblower tool that should increase the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia and other sanctioned countries. People that are aware of possible violations of any EU sanctions can use the tool to anonymously report them. 

The information reported can relate to EU sanctions violations, their circumstances, or the individuals, companies and third countries involved, which are not publicly known but are known to the whistleblower. This can cover past, ongoing or planned sanctions violations, as well as attempts to circumvent EU sanctions.

In addition to the whistleblower tool, the Commission is also releasing an EU sanctions tool that helps EU companies in determining whether EU sanctions apply to their exports, imports and business with Iran. 

The EU recently approved three packages of sanctions after the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine. The third and strongest one consists, among other things, of a ban on flying over EU airspace and access to EU airports, the suspension of broadcasting in the EU of state-owned media Russia Today and Sputnik and a ban from the SWIFT payment system for seven Russian banks.