EU to Lift All Economic Sanctions on Syria Following Assad’s Ouster: Diplomats
Sanctions that prohibit the sale of arms or equipment that could be used for civilian repression are also expected to remain in place, signaling a cautious approach by the EU.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The European Union has agreed to lift all economic sanctions on Syria, a landmark move aimed at aiding the country’s recovery in the wake of President Bashar al-Assad’s removal from power, according to diplomats cited by AFP.
Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states reached a preliminary agreement on Tuesday, which is expected to be formally announced by EU foreign ministers meeting later today in Brussels, the diplomats said.
The decision comes on the heels of a similar announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump last week, stating that Washington would also be lifting its sanctions against Syria. The moves reflect a coordinated international shift in policy following the fall of Assad’s regime, which was widely condemned for its brutal crackdown on protesters and opposition forces during the civil war.
The EU’s new measures will reportedly lift sanctions that had cut Syrian banks off from the global financial system and frozen the assets of the Syrian central bank. These steps are intended to provide breathing room for the country’s new leadership as they attempt to stabilize the economy and begin reconstruction.
However, diplomats emphasized that while broad economic restrictions are being removed, the EU plans to impose new individual sanctions on figures believed to have incited ethnic tensions. This follows recent violent attacks targeting the Alawite minority, the sect from which the Assad family hails.
Sanctions that prohibit the sale of arms or equipment that could be used for civilian repression are also expected to remain in place, signaling a cautious approach by the EU.
The move follows an earlier step taken in February when the EU suspended some sanctions on key sectors of the Syrian economy, including energy and infrastructure, in anticipation of a political transition.
EU officials have warned that the sanctions relief is conditional. Should Syria's new authorities fail to uphold commitments to minority rights or derail progress toward democratic governance, the sanctions could be reimposed.
