Christian-Albrechts-UniversitätzuKiel Becker/Juergensen

Asset recovery in the German legal system.An instrument to fight tobacco trafficking?

FT event Combating Illicit Trade:

Progress, Challenges and Collaborative Solutions.

Florian Becker/Hendrik Juergensen

London, 27-28 Sept 2017

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Becker/Juergensen

The Institution

• Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany, Schleswig/Holstein)

• founded in 1665 by count Christian Albrecht von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf

• approximately 26,000 students

• leading northern German institution for academic teaching and research

• eight schools (law, medicine etc.) and several research clusters (e.g. oceans of the future)

• Law School: more than 2000 students, 21 chairs

• Institute of Economic Law: three directors, 25 staff

Ø impact of state regulation on economic decision making

Ø limits of state regulation set by the constitution, European and international law

Asset recovery: instrument to fight trafficking?

Christian-Albrechts-UniversitätzuKiel Becker/Juergensen

Problem and Solution

1. combating illicit trade2. core criminal sanctions: jail and fines3. „Crime should not pay“4. incidental consequences: asset recovery/confiscation

a. Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of instrumentalitiesand proceeds of crime in the European Union

b. national criminal law (substantive and procedure)5. motives

a. fairness/moralityb. influence on decision making

Asset recovery: instrument to fight trafficking?

Christian-Albrechts-UniversitätzuKiel Becker/Juergensen

However,...

1. even criminals have rights... in particular when it is not (yet) established by acourt that they actually are criminals.

2. Provisions about asset recovery have to comply with higher ranking rules:a. national rules: ECHR, European secondary law, national constitutions

(due process, right to property)

b. European rules: ECHR, European primary law (TFEU, Charter)

Asset recovery: instrument to fight trafficking?

Christian-Albrechts-UniversitätzuKiel Becker/Juergensen

Our project with PMI Impact

1. background: recent expansion of recovery options in Germany

a. Citius: preliminary measures to safeguard a final recoveryb. Altius: gross-principle

c. Fortius: shifting the burden of proof, recovery even if there is no criminaljudgement

2. comparative approach: how do other jurisdictions (inside and outside the EU)address this issue?

3. How can the legislator balance human rights with the legitimate desire tocombat illicit trade and use asset recovery as an important instrument to makesure that „crime does not pay“.

Asset recovery: instrument to fight trafficking?

Christian-Albrechts-UniversitätzuKiel Becker/Juergensen

Asset recovery: instrument to fight trafficking?

Thank you very much…

…for your time!