EU Restrictive measures against Syria

 

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2013/255/CFSP — restrictive measures against Syria

Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 — restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION AND THE REGULATION?

They set out sanctions to be imposed on the Syrian regime and its supporters.

KEY POINTS

Restrictions on trade in goods, services and technology

The sanctions include restrictions on trade with the EU in items which may be used directly or indirectly for the internal repression of the Syrian people. They include:

• a ban on the import of arms and related material from Syria;
• export restrictions on certain equipment, goods and technology that might be used for internal repression or for the manufacture or maintenance of such products;
• a requirement for EU countries to inspect vessels and aircraft if there are reasonable grounds to believe they carry arms, related material or equipment which might be used for internal repression;
• an export ban on equipment, technology or software primarily intended for monitoring or interception of the internet or telephone communications;
• a prohibition on Syrian financial institutions opening new branches or subsidiaries in the EU or to establish new joint ventures or new correspondent banking relationships with EU banks;
• an import ban on crude oil and petroleum products from Syria;
• a ban on investment in the Syrian oil industry;
• a ban on investment in companies engaged in the construction of new power plants for electricity production in Syria;
• a ban on trade in goods belonging to Syria’s cultural heritage which have been illegally removed from Syria with the objective of facilitating the safe return of those goods;
• a ban on trade in gold, precious metals and diamonds with Syrian public bodies and the central bank.

Asset freezing and travel bans

The sanctions also target individuals and companies responsible for the violent repression of the Syrian people, those supporting or benefiting the regime, along with persons and companies associated with them. In particular, the decision and regulation impose:

• a freezing of the assets and travel bans on over 250 individuals and at least 70 entities. Funds or economic resources otherwise frozen may be released under certain conditions including:
  • to make payments on behalf of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), for activities related to the OPCW verification mission and the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons;
  • for evacuations from Syria;
  • humanitarian purposes;
• a freezing of the assets of the Syrian central bank within the EU with a ban on making funds or economic resources available, but an allowance for legitimate trade to continue under strict conditions.

The annex to Decision 2013/255/CFSP contains a regularly amended list of the persons and companies covered by these measures.

EU Strategy for Syria

In 2017, when adopting the EU strategy for Syria, the Council stated that it continue to consider further restrictive measures targeting Syrian individuals and entities supporting the regime as long as the repression continues. The strategy focuses on 6 key areas:

• an end to the war through a genuine political transition;
• promote a meaningful and inclusive transition in Syria;
• save lives by addressing the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable Syrians across the country in a timely, effective, efficient and principled manner;
• promote democracy, human rights and freedom of speech by strengthening Syrian civil society organisations;
• promote accountability for war crimes with a view to facilitating a national reconciliation process and transitional justice;
• support the resilience of the Syrian population and Syrian society.

FROM WHEN DO THE DECISION AND THE REGULATION APPLY?

• The decision has applied since 1 June 2013.
• The regulation has applied since 19 January 2012. It repeals Regulation (EU) No 442/2011.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• Syria: Council response to the crisis (Council of the EU)
• EU response to the Syrian crisis (European External Action Service).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ L 147, 1.6.2013, pp. 14-45)

Successive amendments to Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 (OJ L 16, 19.1.2012, pp. 1-32)

See consolidated version.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Joint communication to the European Parliament and the Council — Elements for an EU Strategy for Syria (JOIN(2017) 11 final, 14.3.2017)

last update 20.01.2020