EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to revive stronger trade relations with Syria, restoring a cooperation agreement that had been suspended in 2011.
The EU Council adopted a decision terminating the partial suspension of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic. The decision repeals Council Decision 2011/523/EU that introduced the suspension.
By ending the partial suspension, the Council reinstates the full application of the Cooperation Agreement, marking an important step towards strengthening the bilateral relations between the EU and Syria.
EU commited to supporting Syria’s economic recovery
The Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Syria, concluded in 1977, provides the framework for economic and trade relations between the parties.
The Council of the European Union, which represents member states and whose foreign ministers met in Brussels, said the decision marked a significant step toward deepening bilateral ties between the EU and Syria.
The partial suspension, introduced in 2011 and extended in 2012, had targeted specific trade-related provisions of the agreement in response to serious human rights violations. It covered provisions removing quantitative restrictions on imports of certain Syrian products, including oil, petroleum products, gold, precious metals and diamonds.
“Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and subsequent Council decisions to lift EU economic sanctions on Syria in May 2025 (except those based on security grounds), the conditions that justified the suspension are no longer present,” said the EU Council.
“The decision sends a clear political signal of the EU’s commitment to re-engage with Syria and support its economic recovery,” it added.
Following the decision, the European Commission will notify the Syrian authorities of the termination of the partial suspension. The decision will enter into force on the date of its adoption.
The reinstated provisions of the Cooperation Agreement will become applicable from the first day of the first month following that notification, allowing sufficient time for implementation.
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Šuica calls for broad international cooperation in Syria’s reconstruction
European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica said on Monday that the European Union was supporting Syria’s transition “from crisis to recovery,” as Syrian and European officials discussed reconstruction and economic cooperation during the EU-Syria Partnership Forum in Brussels.
Speaking during a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani on the sidelines of the forum, Šuica said Syria’s reconstruction required broad international cooperation because of the scale of the country’s needs after years of war.
“Syria is one of the most important countries in the eastern Mediterranean, and its reconstruction requires working together because the needs are extensive and enormous,” Šuica said.
She added that the European Union was supporting Syria’s health institutions and infrastructure while promoting economic and social recovery and institution-building efforts, describing those efforts as the foundation for “a prosperous Syria for all.”
For his part, al-Shaibani said Syria was entering a new phase aimed at establishing a sustainable institutional framework, moving beyond humanitarian assistance toward broader bilateral cooperation and partnership based on mutual interests.
Speaking during the joint press conference, al-Shaibani said Syria was approaching discussions with European partners “with the utmost seriousness.”
He added: “We expect this meeting to lay a solid foundation for mutual understanding with our partners.”