The Council of the European Union has decided today to suspend a number of restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, with the aim to support an inclusive political transition in Syria, and its swift economic recovery, reconstruction, and stabilisation.
"The EU aims to facilitate engagement with Syria, its people, and businesses, in key areas of energy and transport, as well as to facilitate financial and banking transactions associated with such sectors and those needed for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes," - the Council said in its statement.
The Council has decided to implement the following measures:
- Suspend sectoral restrictions in the energy sector (including oil, gas, and electricity) and the transport sector.
- Remove five entities—Industrial Bank, Popular Credit Bank, Saving Bank, Agricultural Cooperative Bank, and Syrian Arab Airlines—from the list of those subject to asset freezes and economic restrictions, while also permitting the allocation of funds and economic resources to the Syrian Central Bank.
- Introduce exemptions to the prohibition on banking relations between Syrian banks and financial institutions within member states, allowing transactions related to the energy and transport sectors, as well as those necessary for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.
- Permanently extend the existing humanitarian exemption to ensure continued support.
- Introduce an exemption for personal use regarding the export prohibition of luxury goods to Syria.
At the same time, the Council will maintain sanctions related to the Al-Assad regime, the chemical weapons sector, and the illicit drug trade. Additionally, several sectoral measures will remain in place, including restrictions on the arms trade, dual-use goods, equipment for internal repression, software for interception and surveillance, and the import/export of Syrian cultural heritage items.
EU restrictive measures have been used as a tool against the Al-Assad regime, responsible for the violent repression of the Syrian civil population.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in the Kremlin on Wednesday, telling him that new restrictions imposed on ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 19th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
The top U.S. military commander for Latin America, General Francis Donovan, accompanied by Senior Pentagon official Joseph Humire, made an unannounced...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 'Board of Peace' will hold its first leaders’ meeting on Thursday (19 February) in Washington, D.C., launching an in...
The United Nations Security Council has expressed deep concern over Israel’s plans to expand control in the West Bank, warning the move threatens th...
Turkmenistan is preparing for a presidential visit to Brussels as the European Parliament considers ratifying a partnership agreement that has been stalled since 1998, with energy cooperation emerging as a key driver of renewed dialogue.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, is moving to criminalise what it calls “extremism against the constitutional order”, introducing a new article to the Criminal Code that could lead to prison sentences of up to three years.
The mother and widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny marked the second anniversary of his death on Monday, as European allies released an assessment saying he was poisoned, adding that the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy the lethal toxin.
Despite its economic might, the European Union is often labelled a “geopolitical dwarf.” The only region where it acts as an indisputable player, able to assert its will with relative ease, is the Western Balkans, along with parts of Eastern Europe.
The drumbeats have finally faded at the Marquês de Sapucaí, bringing the competitive phase of the Rio Carnival 2026 to a dazzling close. Over two marathon nights of spectacle, the twelve elite schools of the "Special Group" transformed the Sambadrome into a riot of colour.
Peru’s Congress has voted to censure and remove José Enrique Jeri Ore from his posts as President of Congress and acting President of the Republic, just four months into his tenure, citing undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen and alleged hiring irregularities.
France celebrated Olympic gold in the men’s biathlon relay in Anterselva on Tuesday (17 February), following a thrilling race marked by an electric atmosphere at the stadium.
Qarabağ FK are facing Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League play-off round on Wednesday evening in Baku, in what will be the first UEFA competition meeting between the two clubs.
Iranian officials say more than 300 undocumented Afghan migrants have been rescued after being stranded in cold and rain near the border district of Taybad, in the northeastern Razavi Khorasan province.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 'Board of Peace' will hold its first leaders’ meeting on Thursday (19 February) in Washington, D.C., launching an initiative aimed at stabilising Gaza and addressing global conflicts. It's drawn support from regional powers but refusals from several EU countries.
The United Nations Security Council has expressed deep concern over Israel’s plans to expand control in the West Bank, warning the move threatens the prospects of a two-state solution.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of receiving a green light from the United States to launch strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile system, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that $5 billion pledged by member states of the Gaza Peace Council will be directed towards the reconstruction of Gaza.
Two Palestinians were killed on the first day of Ramadan after Israeli forces opened fire in the Gaza Strip, according to local sources and hospital officials.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment