In reaction to the verdict against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and given the gravity of the violation of her fundamental rights, the Council adopted on August 13th 2009 a Common Position imposing a new set of targeted measures against Burma/Myanmar. These measures, published in the OJEU on August 15th 2009, where announced by Swedish presidency on August 11th, after the verdict was published.

The renewal of the Common Position was already announced in a Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on August 11th 2009, which condemned the unjustified trial of and the verdict against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and urged her unconditional release.

”The EU stands united in the condemnation of this unlawful decision. We call on the unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi by the military regime. We are preparing sanctions against Burma. These sanctions include measures such as trade restrictions against certain state owned companies and prohibition of entry into the EU for the four key individuals responsible for the decision", said Fredrik Reinfeldt.

President Reinfeldt highlighted that the legal proceedings against Aung San Suu Kyi have been unacceptable and illegitimate from the very beginning and hopes that the UN system and the whole world will back the demand for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Under the new restrictive measures, members of the judiciary responsible for the verdict are added to the existing list of persons and entities subject to a travel ban and to an assets freeze. Moreover, the list of persons and entities subject to the restrictive measures is extended to cover the assets freeze to enterprises that are owned and controlled by members of the regime in Burma/Myanmar or by persons or entities associated with them.

The present EU measures are the latest of a series of measures which the EU initially adopted in 1996 (Common Position 96/635/CFSP), such as banning arms exports, visa restrictions on members of the regime, their allies and families, limiting diplomatic contacts and freezing officials' offshore accounts, and suspending non-humanitarian aid or development programmes.

The EU, following closely the situation in Burma/Myanmar, has since then updated, renewed and extended the restrictive measures against the military regime, those who benefit most from its misrule, and those who actively frustrate the process of national reconciliation, respect for human rights and progress towards democracy. Thus, the new targeted measures update and strengthen the existing Common Position (2009/351/CFSP) which expires on April 30th 2010.