Six European Union countries advocate for a temporary easing of sanctions on Syria

Six European Union member states have urged the bloc to temporarily lift sanctions on Syria in sectors such as transport, energy, and banking. EU foreign ministers are scheduled to deliberate on the potential easing of sanctions against Syria during a meeting in Brussels on January 27.

European leaders have begun to reevaluate their stance towards Damascus following the removal of President Bashar al-Assad by insurgent forces, particularly the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, most other nations, and the United Nations.

The document, endorsed by Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland, and Denmark, advocates for the EU to “immediately start adjusting our sanctions regime.” However, it also cautions that if the EU’s expectations regarding human rights and minority protections are not fulfilled, the lifting of further sanctions may be reconsidered, and a mechanism for reinstating previously lifted sanctions could be enacted.

Last week, the U.S. granted a six-month sanctions exemption for transactions involving governing bodies in Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid.

The six EU nations proposed that the bloc should remove sanctions to enable civilian flights, reassess restrictions on high-value goods, lift the export ban on oil and gas technology, and restore financial connections between the EU and Syria. They emphasized that sanctions against members of the Assad regime and its allies should remain intact. Discussions regarding the lifting of sanctions on HTS would need to occur at the United Nations level and be coordinated with key partners, with the outcome dependent on a collective evaluation of HTS and its leader, Ahmed Al-Shara’a, as well as the evolving situation in Syria.

Kaja Kallas, the foreign policy chief of the bloc, held a meeting with Syria’s newly appointed foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, on Sunday in Riyadh. This gathering included prominent diplomats from both the Middle East and the West, who convened to address the ongoing situation in Syria.

She emphasized, “This is the moment for Syria’s new leadership to fulfill the expectations they have set by initiating a peaceful and inclusive transition that safeguards the rights of all minority groups.”

Additionally, she mentioned, “Our next step will involve discussions with EU Foreign Ministers regarding the potential easing of sanctions.”