The EU intensifies measures against the evasion of sanctions through new Europol tools.
Brussels, November 20, 2025 - Europol has announced the strengthening of the operational capabilities of the European Union to combat the evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia, by creating a dedicated team and through a joint project with the European Anti-Fraud Office. The measures respond to the rapid increase in attempts to circumvent the EU's restrictive regime, including through alternative trade routes, forged documents, and money laundering indicators.
Europol has established the new Target Group Sanctions team within the European Centre for Financial and Economic Crime. The structure supports member states in identifying and dismantling networks involved in evading sanctions, using advanced analytical capabilities, financial tracking, and mapping of trade flows. According to data provided by the agency, the team has already provided direct support in several ongoing investigations within the Union.
To strengthen the response at the European level, Europol and OLAF have launched the joint initiative Project Transporter, focused on verifying vehicle exports to third countries where there are indications that they may be redirected later to Russia and Belarus. Member states have reported a significant increase in these shipments, often accompanied by forged documents, avoidance routes, and money laundering signals, suggesting organized and commercially motivated attempts to evade EU sanctions.
The project brings together specialists from customs services, police, and financial crime fighting structures, with the aim of enhancing information exchange and unifying investigative techniques used in member states. The initiative complements Europol's extensive role through the Target Group Sanctions, which provides analytical and operational support to national investigators in related fields, such as money laundering, customs fraud, or document forgery.
Both the Target Group Sanctions and Project Transporter operate within the EMPACT platform, the EU's multiannual mechanism for combating serious and organized crime. EMPACT facilitates strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, European institutions, and international partners, based on common priorities established in four-year cycles.
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