As a result of its first meeting in 2019, the Foreign Affairs Council decided on 21 January to add 11 prominent businessmen and 5 entities in the sanctions list against the Syrian regime. This list now includes 270 persons and 72 entities targeted by travel ban and asset freeze for having supported Assad regime. This kind of sanctions includes oil embargo, restrictions in investments, freeze of the Syrian Central Bank asset held in the EU and other restrictions. In addition, the Council imposed sanctions on nine persons and one entity under the new regime of restrictive measures to address the use and proliferation of chemical weapons created on 15 October 2018.  In its conclusions, the Council also confirmed the EU commitment in finding a credible solution for Syria as defined in the UN Security Council resolution 2254. These new sanctions against public figures associated with the Syria regime came two weeks after Assad revoked special visas for EU diplomats and officials traveling regularly between Beirut and Damascus, in a move allegedly motivated by the attempt from the Syrian regime to force European countries to re-open their bilateral embassies in Damascus. A few weeks ago, Italian Foreign Minister Moavero Milanesi  announced that Italy was considering this option.