Regulation (EU) 2018/1805 on the mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders is a key judicial cooperation instrument aimed at strengthening asset recovery in cross-border cases across the European Union.

This is the first Eurojust casework report on the practical implementation of this new instrument since its entry into application. It is intended to support national authorities in effectively applying the Regulation and in recovering the proceeds of transnational crime, ensuring that crime does not pay. The report outlines key legal and practical challenges, shares best practices and highlights Eurojust’s role in resolving these issues.

While the Regulation is very much used in practice and it has significantly improved cooperation in this field, it is not yet fully effective. Early practice demonstrates both progress and persisting gaps. Eurojust has played a crucial role in facilitating coordination and in providing advice on the application of the new rules, and most cases have resulted in successful execution of orders. Nevertheless, obstacles remain, both those arising from new provisions of the Regulation and some inherited from earlier instruments.