EU countries agree on a progressive suspension of sanctions on Syria
10 February 2025
The European Union may soon suspend some of the sanctions on Syria, which have hit the country's disastrous economy for almost 15 years. The first restrictions likely to be eased concern the banking, energy, and transport sectors.
The EU's approach includes a "snap back" mechanism, allowing for the reimposition of sanctions if the situation in Syria deteriorates again in the future. At the moment, sanctions against individuals associated with the Assad regime will remain in place.
The EU foreign affairs ministers have said that any easing of sanctions depends on Syria's new leadership committing to a peaceful and inclusive political transition that protects all minority groups and upholds human rights.
 | Lorenzo Di Stasi This is important to give Syria a chance at rebuilding after the fall of the dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Western sanctions on key sectors such as oil and banking, imposed since the start of the civil war in 2011, make the transition for the new government difficult, as the United Nations report that 90% of the country's population lives in poverty. |
Welcome to The European Correspondent
Europe lacks true European media: in Germany alone, there are more media devoted exclusively to football than news outlets specialising on Europe. The established players mainly focus on Brussels and European institutions. The European Correspondent aims to change that. We cover the whole of Europe and write for a community of citizens who want to look beyond their own national borders. Without European journalism, there is no European civil society.
〉Read our manifesto
〉The stories we would like to write for you
Become a donor!
The European Correspondent is fully funded by its readers. We can only produce the newsletter with your support - and work towards the bigger project: building true European media. Donate now!
With your help, we can create true European journalism. Thank you!
We are non-profit. Every donated € goes directly into The European Correspondent.