European Union joins chorus of criticism of Article 23, which includes harsh new penalties for offences such as insurrection, sedition and espionage

The European Union has sounded the alarm over Hong Kong’s new national security bill, saying it had the potential to “significantly” affect the work of the EU’s office and the territory’s status as a business hub.

On Tuesday Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously passed the new bill only two weeks after it was first presented, fast-tracking a major piece of legislation that critics say further threatens the city’s freedoms.

The package, known as Article 23, punishes offences including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage with sentences ranging from several years to life imprisonment.