The European Union Friday banned exports to Syria of luxury shoes, caviar and boats, as well as goods with possible military applications, in an effort to step up the pressure on President Bashar Al-Assad’s government and family.

The decision came as violence surges in Syria, despite an April 12 ceasefire negotiated by international mediator Kofi Annan and a range of sanctions by the European Union, United States and others against Damascus.


“In the current situation, the EU must keep up the pressure on the Syrian regime,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement.“EU sanctions target those responsible for the appalling repression and violence against the civilian population. We have carefully calibrated today’s decisions to avoid affecting the Syrian people.”

The new EU sanctions are designed partly to target the family of the Syrian president, in particular his wife Asma Al-Assad, who is said to have continued shopping for luxury products during the conflict.

Emails she exchanged with her husband, obtained by Britain’s Guardian newspaper, showed they were buying jewels and expensive furniture during the violence, and that she liked Chanel dresses and Christian Louboutin shoes.