The European Union has imposed additional sanctions in Syria against eight people and two companies, the European Council announced on Monday.

The Council noted that eight "prominent" Syrian businessmen were added to the sanctions list as their "activities directly benefited the Assad regime, including through projects on land alienated by people displaced by the conflict ".

"Eight prominent businessmen and two entities linked to those businessmen to the list of persons and entities subject to the sanctions against the Syrian regime and its supporters. Their activities directly benefited the Assad regime, including through projects located on lands expropriated from persons displaced by the conflict."

The EU imposed sanctions on Syria for the first time in 2011.

"EU sanctions currently in place against Syria also include an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, and export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression, as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications.", the European Council said on its website.

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