The EU Council has established a framework allowing to impose targeted restrictive measures to deter and respond to cyber attacks which present an external threat to the European Union or its member states, the statement reads.
It specifies that the cyber attacks include those against third states or international organisations where restricted measures are considered necessary to achieve the objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
Sanctions may be imposed on both companies and individuals. Those found responsible for cyber attacks will be included in black lists and banned from entering the EU, their bank accounts in the EU wil be blocked, and European businesses won't be allowed to have any contacts with them, the Council's statement says.
In October 2018 EU leaders agreed to begin work on a new system for imposing sanctions on the perpetrators of cyber attacks. This came after the Netherlands had reported an alleged hacking attempt on the Wi-Fi system of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.