Brussels, May 11 (SANA) The Council of the European Union announced on Monday the restoration of the full application of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic, ending a partial suspension that had been in place since 2011.
The Council adopted a decision repealing Council Decision 2011/523/EU, which had suspended parts of the agreement related to trade with Syria.
The move reinstates the full application of the cooperation agreement and marks what the Council described as an important step toward strengthening bilateral relations between the European Union and Syria.
The partial suspension, introduced in 2011 and expanded in 2012, targeted trade-related provisions involving certain Syrian products, including oil, petroleum products, gold, precious metals and diamonds, in response to human rights concerns linked to the ousted regime.
The Council said the conditions that led to the suspension were no longer present following political developments in Syria, including the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and subsequent EU decisions in 2025 to lift economic sanctions on Syria, except those maintained on security grounds.
According to the Council, the decision is consistent with the EU’s policy of supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria and facilitating the country’s socio-economic recovery.
The European Commission is expected to notify Syrian authorities of the termination of the partial suspension. The reinstated provisions of the agreement will take effect from the first day of the month following the notification process.
The Cooperation Agreement between Syria and the European Economic Community was concluded in 1977 and provides the framework for economic and trade relations between the two sides.
M.F / ABD
