EU proposes full resumption of Syria cooperation accord

AFP | Brussel

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Brussels yesterday proposed EU states fully restart the bloc’s cooperation agreement with Syria, in the latest step to help bolster the country after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

The deal -- which abolishes customs duties on imports of most industrial products from Syria -- was partially suspended in 2011 when Assad’s regime ruthlessly cracked down on protests at the start of the civil war. The 27-nation EU has launched a new chapter with Syria since Assad’s ouster from power in December 2024 after over a decade of fighting that devastated the country and sent millions of refugees abroad.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a 620-million-euro ($730 million) two-year financial support package during a visit to Damascus in January.

The bloc has also dropped economic sanctions as it looks to help the authorities under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist who spearheaded Assad’s expulsion, to rebuild the country and reintegrate internationally