After the fall of Assad: EU countries loosen Syria sanctions

Change of power in Syria

After the fall of Assad: EU countries loosen Syria sanctions

A transitional government is in charge in Syria. The EU hopes that the country will stabilize, recover from the civil war – and also return refugees. Sanctions should now make way for this.

After the fall of long-term rulers Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the EU countries have decided to gradually relax sanctions. Measures in the energy, transport and banking sector are canceled to support rapid economic recovery, reconstruction and the stabilization of the country, it said in a message. It is checked whether further economic sanctions can be suspended.

A rebel alliance under the leadership of the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Scham (HTS) had overthrew the long-term activity holder in December. A transitional government is now ruling in Damascus.

All Syrians should have the opportunity to participate in the reconstruction of their country, the EU countries said. In the EU there is also hope that hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees can return home one day.

The abolished sanctions primarily include measures that affect energy supply and make it difficult for passenger and goods traffic. In addition, under certain conditions, financial institutions in the Member States may maintain relationships with Syrian banks in order to enable transactions for reconstruction.

At the same time, the EU countries maintain the sanction lists, for example, in relation to the Al Assad regime, the chemical weapon sector and illegal drug trafficking.

From 2011, the EU had imposed sanctions against Syria in response to the government’s violent procedure against the civilian population. These were also directed against economic sectors, from which the circle of power around Assad benefited.