EU Restores Trade Ties with Syria

The European Union on Monday terminated the partial suspension of its cooperation agreement with Syria, restoring fuller trade ties with the country 18 months after the removal of former leader Bashar al-Assad from power in December 2024.

The European Council described the decision as an important step toward strengthening relations and a clear signal of the bloc's commitment to reengage with Syria and support its economic recovery following nearly 14 years of civil war. EU foreign ministers met in Brussels with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani to launch a high-level political dialogue, coinciding with the reinstatement of the agreement's trade provisions. The deal, originally abolishing duties on imports of most industrial products from Syria, had been partially suspended in 2011 after the government's crackdown on anti-government protests that sparked the conflict.

Bilateral trade had peaked at more than 7 billion euros in 2010 but plummeted amid the war. By 2023, EU imports from Syria stood at 103 million euros, while exports to Syria reached 265 million euros.

The move builds on recent engagement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met interim Syrian...