A Syrian foreign ministry spokesman announced Thursday Syria's boycott to the UFM,

a regional alliance consisting of the 27 EU member states and 16 neighbor countries, "until Europe abrogates its sanctions."

In a statement, the spokesman said "the EU has undertaken a series of unwarranted sanctions that targeted the livelihood of the Syrian people," adding that the sanctions entail a flagrant violation of Syria's national sovereignty and interfere in the country's internal affairs, contrary to the essence of the signed agreements between the EU and Syria.

The EU decided on Thursday to place further restrictive measures against Syria "in light of the continued repression" in the country.

The new measures are related to the energy, financial, banking and trade sectors, and include the listing of additional individuals and entities "that are involved in the violence or directly supporting the regime," said a conclusion at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

Since the EU firstly imposed restrictive measures against Syria on May 9, altogether 74 individuals and 19 entities were placed on the EU sanction list.

The EU sanctions came in harmony with new US measures. The US Department of Treasury on Thursday added two high-ranking Syrians and two more government-controlled entities for sanctions, in an effort to increase pressure on the Arab nation to stop violence against protesters.