EU agrees to use sanctions against cyber hackers

The European Union can levy economic sanctions on anyone caught attacking EU states' computer networks, EU foreign ministers said on Monday, the bloc's latest step to deter more attacks following incidents in Britain and France.

With German national elections in September, interference in democratic votes is a concern for the bloc after accusations of Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election last November and the French election in May.

EU foreign ministers agreed that so-called restrictive measures including travel bans, assets freezes and blanket bans on doing business with a person, company or government could be used for the first time.