Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union on February 24, 2025, started easing energy and transport sanctions and banking sanctions against Syria, seeking to assist in reviving the conflict-torn country’s economy if its new government works toward a peaceful future.
In order to encourage the new administration, the European Union said it was suspending sanctions targeting oil, gas, and electricity as well as transport, and particularly the aviation sector. The opportunity to fund and deliver certain economic resources to five banks will be reinstated. Limitations on the export of luxury goods to Syria for personal use will also be reduced.
As part of the process to lift the sanctions was taken by European Union foreign ministers and was made as part of measures
“to support an inclusive political transition in Syria, and its swift economic recovery, reconstruction, and stabilization,”
A statement said.
The European Union stated that it would observe developments in Syria to witness whether other economic sanctions could be eased, but it has also retained the possibility of imposing the sanctions back on should the new leaders take the government in the wrong direction.
The EU has decided to suspend a number sanctions in view of the situation in Syria.
— EU Council (@EUCouncil) February 24, 2025
This decision is part of the EU’s efforts to support:
➡️ an inclusive political transition in #Syria
➡️ its swift economic recovery, reconstruction, and stabilisation
More information 👇#FAC
Why is the EU easing sanctions on Syria?
The European Union started to inflict asset freezes and travel prohibitions on Syrian officials, banks, agencies, and other institutions in 2011, in reaction to then-President Bashar Assad’s attacks on protesters, which plagued into a civil war.
EU ministers decided in January on a roadmap to ease sanctions on Syria but left particulars up for negotiation. The new draft declaration says that the Council of the EU has decided to suspend a number of restrictive measures “in areas of energy, transport, and reconstruction, as well as to facilitate the associated financial and banking transactions”.
The European Union will also advance indefinitely humanitarian immunity to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid, according to the document.
“As a part of a gradual approach and in a next step, the Council will assess whether further restrictive measures could be suspended,”
It stated, adding that
“the Council will continue to examine whether the suspensions remain appropriate, based on the close monitoring of the situation in the country”.
