European Union Suspends Sanctions on Syria

The European Union has suspended several of its previous sanctions against Syria, including in the areas of energy, transportation, banking, and construction. On Monday, February 25, EU member state ministers agreed in a meeting in Brussels to suspend sanctions on Syria's energy sector, including oil, gas, electricity, and related transportation sanctions against the country. Under this agreement, sanctions on the frozen assets of five Syrian banks have been lifted, restrictions against the Central Bank of Syria have been removed, and current exemptions aimed at facilitating humanitarian aid to Syria have been indefinitely extended. This action comes ahead of the 'National Dialogue Conference' in Syria to discuss the future of the country. The conference, which is set to begin on February 26, could be an important step towards structural changes in Syria's political and economic system. On the other hand, EU member states agreed to maintain their sanctions against officials of Bashar al-Assad's government, including those involved in arms deals, the trade of dual-use goods in military and civilian sectors, and transactions involving software related to the identification and international trade of Syria's cultural heritage objects. The EU has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation in Syria to ensure the appropriateness of the recent suspension of sanctions. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, which occurred last December at the hands of rebels led by the 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' group, European leaders have reconsidered their previous positions on Syria. The fall of Assad's government has nearly ended the Islamic Republic of Iran's presence in Syria, its militias have fled the country, and the Iranian government’s embassy in Damascus remains closed. The former Syrian government had been heavily dependent on the Islamic Republic and Russia for several decades while distancing itself from the West, but the new leadership in Syria is making significant efforts to improve the country's strained relations, especially with its neighbors. The EU has extended sanctions against Russia while reducing sanctions on Syria. Syria has not allowed flights; flights from Iran have been suspended until January 22. The 'National Dialogue Conference' in Syria will begin on February 26. One of the leaders affiliated with al-Qaeda was killed in a U.S. attack in Syria.