Suu Kyi went on trial on Monday, facing up to five years in jail after Burma's government said she had broken the terms of her house arrest in connection with an incident involving U.S. citizen John William Yettaw, who is alleged to have spent two days in her house this month.
"We have ... asked the EU institutions to examine ideas or proposals to strengthen or re-inforce measures," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said after a meeting with EU counterparts in reference to existing sanctions, which include visa bans and asset freezes on the military government and its backers.
The ministers also agreed on the need to step up dialogue with the Association of South East Asian Nations to encourage them to use their influence with Burma,Kohout, whose country holds the EU presidency, told a news conference.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Suu Kyi was facing a "show trial", adding: "We ...need to make sure that the Burmese regime understands fully the risks that it's taking."
The ministers reiterated a call for the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters tougher steps were in order. "It's not the moment to lower sanctions, it's the moment in any case to increase them," he said.
Asian Influence Needed
However some ministers and EU officials said only Asian nations could exert a stronger influence on Burma.
"Our problem with sanctions on Burma (Burma) is that we have sanctions on virtually everything," said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. "Our relationship with Burma is nearly non-existent and that makes it somewhat complicated."
He said EU ministers would discuss Burma with counterparts from Asia, including Burma, next week in Hanoi.
"They are the ones who have the real possibility of influence ... we are dependent on political pressure principally from the neighbours," Bildt said.
Bildt said efforts by some to impose banking sanctions, which some activists say would be the best way to target Burma's rulers, had not proven to easy.
Activist group Burma Campaign UK said there were several ways EU sanctions could be made more effective.
They included putting judges and officials involved in the trial of political prisoners on the banned list, banning EU firms from providing insurance in Burma, placing sanctions on financial transactions, and banning all new investment in the country, including in the oil and gas sector.
It said the EU should press for U.N. Security Council action, and work for a global arms embargo
"We are often told the generals are immune to pressure," said the group's director Mark Farmaner. "The truth is we have had a lot of fine words, but not much practical action. It is time that changed."
EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she did not think additional sanctions would work.
Burma's military has ignored international outrage at what critics call trumped-up charges against Suu Kyi, accused of breaking the conditions of her house arrest, which had been due to expire on May 27 after six years of detention.
The EU extended existing sanctions for a year last month.
