Today, Wednesday, the European Union Council adopted legal measures to lift economic sanctions imposed on Syria, in a move described as “historical” aimed at supporting the Syrian people in the stage of reconstruction and political transition.
This decision is the culmination of the meeting of the European Union’s foreign ministers last week, who were unanimous to end the previous economic sanctions, with the exception of measures of a security nature that are still in effect for reasons related to human rights and regional stability.
According to the statement issued by the European Union Council, legal measures raise all the restrictions imposed on Syria, including restrictions related to the financial and energy sectors, with the exception of those based on security concerns or severe human rights violations.
The decision included removing 24 Syrian entities from the sanctions list, including the Central Bank of Syria and several banks and companies active in vital areas such as oil, its refining, cotton, communications and media.
This measure was considered a major step towards reintegrating the Syrian economy into the international financial system and stimulating foreign investment.
For its part, the European Union’s foreign policy coordinator, Kaya Callas, stated that this decision is “simply the right thing that the European Union should do at this historical time to support Syria’s real recovery and political transition that meets the aspirations of all Syrians. The European Union has stood by the Syrian people for the past 14 years, and will continue to do so.”
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human rights
Despite this economic breakthrough, the European Union stressed its commitment to the principle of accountability, as he decided to extend the inclusion of individuals and entities associated with the Bashar al -Assad regime in the sanctions list until June 1, 2026.
This includes names involved in crimes against civilians or linked to security services responsible for repression and violations during the dispute years.
In the same context, the council took new restrictions under the European Union’s global regime for human rights sanctions, targeting two people and 3 entities involved in the violent events that witnessed the Syrian coastal region last March, stressing its intention to continue to monitor the situation and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.
The statement also stressed that the European Union will continue to monitor developments on the ground and cooperate with the transitional authorities, stressing that the primary goal is to rebuild Syria on the foundations of justice and accountability, without external interventions that harm the political process.
The European Union has previously previously reduced the sanctions on February 24 to facilitate dealing with the new Syrian authorities and support the Syrians in economic recovery.
On May 20, the Council announced the political decision to lift the sanctions, confirming its commitment to supporting “new, unified, pluralistic, and peaceful”.
This decision is a shift in the European position after 14 years of sanctions and political and economic pressures that imposed in response to war crimes and violations committed by the ousted regime.
