BRUSSELS:The EU refuses to recognise the new Venezuela assembly that gives President Nicolas Maduro extra powers, with diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini saying on Wednesday the bloc is "ready to gradually step up" action if the situation deteriorates.
However, the 28 European Union countries backed away from adopting any immediate sanctions in response to the controversial election, held on Sunday, that critics say is a bid by Maduro to stay in power, and to the arrest of two opposition leaders.
"The European Union and its member states therefore cannot recognise the Constituent Assembly as they have concerns over its effective representativeness and legitimacy," Mogherini said in a statement after meeting EU diplomats to discuss the situation.
It called on Maduro's government to "take urgent measures" to change course, including suspending setting up the new Constituent Assembly and explicitly recognising all institutions under the constitution.
"Further confidence-building measures, such as the release of all jailed political opponents, are also needed," the statement said.
The EU has previously warned that it had "grave doubts" about recognising an election for a constituent assembly that would hand Maduro more powers, and condemned the arrest of high-profile opposition figures Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma.
Mogherini asked for clarification on the whereabouts of Lopez and Ledezma.
"The European Union and its Member States are ready to gradually step up their response in case democratic principles are further undermined and the Venezuelan Constitution is not respected," it said.
European Parliament president Antonio Tajani had urged the EU to consider sanctions. The United States earlier this week hit Maduro with sanctions.
British junior foreign minister Alan Duncan said there "may come a point where we will become part of a world sanctions regime, for instance if the United Nations were to impose one then we would."