EU foreign ministers have approved a new sanctions mechanism targeting those who use and develop chemical weapons.
Monday's decision came in the wake of the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain and repeated accusations against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for using chemical weapons on civilians.
The sanctions would allow the EU to impose asset freezes and visa bans on people and entities identified as being involved in the development or deployment of chemical weapons, regardless of their location or nationality.