12/10/2020 (Agence Europe) – The EU Council decided, on Monday 12 October, to extend by one year, until 16 October 2021, the regime allowing the EU to impose restrictive measures on persons and entities involved in the development and use of chemical weapons. Nine people are currently under this sanction regime (EU travel ban and asset freeze): five linked to the Syrian regime and four involved in the Salisbury attack using the nerve agent Novichok. The Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC), the main entity of the Syrian regime for the development of chemical weapons, is also subject to an asset freeze. This sanctions regime, which ran until 16 October 2020, was established on 15 October 2018 (see EUROPE 12117/16). (CG)