Europe Unveils New Sanctions Plan for Human Rights Violations

The European Union plans to create a new legal structure for sanctioning human-rights abuses around the world in a sign of growing political sensitivity across Europe to the issue.

The draft legislation on Monday would replace the EU’s country-by-country system for imposing asset freezes and travel bans on foreigners deemed to have violated fundamental rights with a single framework for such penalties. Under the plan, the European Commission will assume oversight on the implementation of the travel bans.

The proposal unveiled by the EU’s executive arm needs the approval of the bloc’s national governments. They have already signaled a readiness ...