European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a news conference in Brussels
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a news conference in Brussels, Belgium February 16, 2023. Reuters

The latest draft proposal for new European Union sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine says "alternative measures" should be considered before the bloc restricts trade with any third country for busting existing sanctions, a document showed.

The document, which was seen by Reuters, is an updated draft proposal by the bloc's executive European Commission for the 27 EU member states to discuss again in Brussels on Tuesday.

It comes after Germany expressed concern during the first discussion last week over any possible future restrictions in trade with China.

Compared with the original proposal, the new draft would make sanctioning third countries more difficult after a new paragraph was added saying that before making a proposal to include any third country on the list of countries concerned, alternative measures should also be considered, such as individual listings.