EU agrees to restore fuller trade ties with Syria

BRUSSELS - EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to restore improved trade ties with Syria, reinstating a cooperation agreement that had been suspended in 2011 when an uprising against then-leader Bashar al-Assad expanded into a 14-year civil war.

The Council of the European Union, representing member states whose foreign ministers met in Brussels, said the move marked an important step towards strengthening bilateral relations between the EU and Syria.

Most Western sanctions were lifted last year against Syria, which is seeking broader reintegration into the international community under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led an alliance that ousted Assad at the end of 2024.

Reinstating the cooperation agreement would lift restrictions on imports of certain Syrian goods, including oil and petroleum products, as well as gold, precious metals and diamonds.

The decision “sends a clear political signal” of the EU’s commitment to re-engage with Syria and support its economic recovery, the Council added.