EU repeals Syria Cooperation Agreement trade suspension
EU trade teams must remove the old Syria Cooperation Agreement suspension
Change
The EU repealed Decision 2011/523/EU, ending the partial suspension of the EEC–Syria Cooperation Agreement that had covered Syrian crude oil, petroleum products, gold, precious metals and diamonds.
Why it matters
The Decision removes the old legal basis for partially suspending the EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement after the Council concluded that the original grounds are obsolete. The change sits alongside earlier 2025 decisions lifting Syria economic restrictive measures except those based on security grounds. Trade-compliance teams must update Syria reference data so the repealed Cooperation Agreement suspension is no longer treated as active.
Implications
- — EU trade-compliance teams handling Syria-related controls must remove Decision 2011/523/EU from active suspension logic — the partial Cooperation Agreement suspension has been repealed.
- — Import-control and sanctions-reference teams must update Syria trade records for crude oil, petroleum products, gold, precious metals and diamonds — old suspension references no longer match the current EU legal position.
- — Financial institutions and firms screening Syria-related trade must distinguish repealed economic restrictions from remaining security-based measures — the Decision does not remove security-grounded Syria controls.
Who is affected
- — EU trade-compliance teams handling Syria-related controls
- — Import-control and sanctions-reference teams
- — Financial institutions and firms screening Syria-related trade
What to watch
- — 11 May 2026: Decision 2011/523/EU is repealed and the Decision enters into force.