(1)

On 18 January 1977, a Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic (1) (the Cooperation Agreement) was concluded in order to promote overall cooperation with a view to strengthening relations between the parties.

(2)

Council Decision 2011/523/EU (2) partially suspended the application of the Cooperation Agreement following the brutal campaign waged by Bashar al-Assad and his regime against their own people.

(3)

The suspension of Articles 12, 14 and 15 of the Cooperation Agreement, in so far as Syrian imports into the Union of crude oil and petroleum products were concerned, was necessary in order to prohibit such imports and implement Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP (3).

(4)

Council Decision 2012/123/CFSP (4) extended the partial suspension of the application of the Cooperation Agreement to Syrian imports into the Union of gold, precious metals and diamonds. The adoption of Decision 2012/123/CFSP was necessary in order to implement the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP (5).

(5)

Since December 2024, the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has brought about a fundamental change in the Syrian political landscape which renders the original grounds for the partial suspension of the Cooperation Agreement obsolete.

(6)

In its conclusions of 23 June 2025, the Council underlined the importance of a peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria, free from harmful foreign interference, and protecting the rights of all Syrian people, without discrimination. The Council also underlined its support for ongoing efforts by international financial institutions to assess Syria’s needs and invited the European Investment Bank to resume its activity in Syria. It called on the international community to facilitate Syria’s economic recovery and to work on its reintegration into the international financial system.

(7)

Council Decisions (CFSP) 2025/406 (6) and (CFSP) 2025/1096 (7) amended Decision 2013/255/CFSP (8) in order to lift all economic restrictive measures on Syria, with the exception of those based on security grounds, in order to support the country’s socio-economic recovery.

(8)

In accordance with Decision 2013/255/CFSP, and with the objective of restoring normal trade relations with Syria and supporting the country’s socio-economic recovery, the partial suspension of the application of the Cooperation Agreement provided for in Decision 2011/523/EU should be terminated.

(9)

Decision 2011/523/EU should therefore be repealed,