Syria has welcomed the EU's decision to lift sanctions on seven Syrian government entities, including the Interior and Defence Ministries.
The bloc also renewed sanctions against individuals and entities linked to former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad’s government for another year.
Those listed remain subject to asset freezes and travel bans, while EU citizens and companies are barred from making funds available to them.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani welcomed the extension of sanctions on former regime officials who were involved in “crimes against our people”.
The EU said the delisting of the seven entities was intended to support “the strengthening of the EU’s engagement with Syria” after the fall of Assad in late 2024 and the installation of a new government led by President Ahmad Al Shara.
“We look forward to strengthening co-operation with our partners in the European Union in a way that serves the interests of our people and is based on mutual respect, shared interests and support for the reconstruction process,” Mr Shibani wrote on X.
The EU lifted all economic sanctions on Syria in May 2025 while keeping in place measures against members of the former Assad administration and those imposed on security grounds.
The bloc said networks tied to the former government still retained influence and could undermine Syria’s political transition and reconciliation efforts. Earlier this month, the EU also restored the full application of its co-operation agreement with Syria, saying the conditions that led to its suspension during Assad’s crackdown on protesters in 2011 were no longer present.
Mr Al Shibani visited Brussels last week for the first high-level EU-Syria political talks since Belgium broke off ties with Damascus at the start of the civil war in 2011.
It came five months after the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council president Antonio Costa met Mr Al Shara in Damascus and announced a €620 million ($721 million) aid package.
