Syria’s economy faces many challenges as a result of Western sanctions imposed on the country for decades, which hinder reconstruction and development efforts, and with the fall of the Baath regime – which lasted for 61 years – on December 8, there are questions about the future of these sanctions and their impact on the Syrian people.
The aim of the various sanctions decisions against the Baath regime for reasons such as the civil war in Syria, violence against civilians, human rights violations, war crimes, and support for terrorist organizations was to stop the regime’s violence in the country and shift to the reform process.
But these sanctions – which sought to weaken the Assad family regime and punish it for human rights violations – also created a significant burden on the Syrian people.
With the fall of the Assad regime, there was no longer any meaning to the various restrictive measures imposed by Western countries on Syria.
The measures taken by many countries and international organizations greatly affect the economic and political situation in Syria, and make the country’s redevelopment and recovery difficult.
US sanctions since 1979
According to information collected by Anatolia from the US Departments of State and Treasury, the sanctions on Syria began in December 1979, when Syria was classified as a “state supporting terrorism.”
These sanctions led to a ban on defense exports and sales, some controls on the export of both civilian and military dual-use products, in addition to various financial restrictions.
In May 2004, additional restrictions on imports and exports were implemented with the implementation of the US law “The Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act.”
With the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, the sanctions became more comprehensive, and the main lines of these sanctions were the trade ban on the energy and financial sectors that provide income for Bashar al-Assad’s regime, freezing the assets of senior officials, and preventing American companies from dealing with Syria.
The scope of the sanctions expanded with the issuance of the “Caesar Act for the Protection of Civilians in Syria,” or in short, the “Caesar Act,” which was signed by former US President Donald Trump in December 2019 and entered into force in June 2020.
A dissident employee from the regime, nicknamed “Caesar,” leaked photos of about 11,000 bodies of people killed under torture between May 2011 and August 2013. The photos revealed the methods of torture to which detainees were subjected in the regime’s detention centers.
The US sanctions, especially imposed on the construction and energy sectors, aim to make it more difficult for the regime to survive economically.
The Central Bank of Syria was also the target of sanctions imposed on the government in order to hinder the financing capacity of the Assad regime.
European Union sanctions
European Union countries have enacted numerous restrictive measures to end the Baath regime’s violence against civilians, force the regime to reform, stop human rights violations, and promote a peaceful political transition.
Following escalating violence and “unacceptable” levels of human rights violations in Syria, the European Union suspended all bilateral cooperation with the government and its supporters in Syria and imposed sanctions in May 2011.
The European Union, which imposed various economic sanctions on Syria, also imposed an arms embargo.
Imports of crude oil and petroleum products from Syria were also banned, while a ban was imposed on investment in the country’s oil industry and electricity production companies.
Central bank assets
The European Union imposed restrictions on the export of equipment and technologies that the Assad regime can use for repression, as well as technologies for surveillance or eavesdropping on the Internet or telephone communications.
Financial institutions in Syria were not allowed to open branches or subsidiaries in the European Union.
The decision to extend the sanctions, which aims to put pressure on the Baath regime and bring about change in the country, was taken on May 28, 2024.
The Union’s sanctions on Syria, which are renewed every year, expire on June 1, 2025, unless a new decision is taken.
Sanctions discussions in the European Union
Since the collapse of the Baath regime in Syria on December 8, there have been discussions in the Union about whether sanctions targeting the regime will be lifted.
The European Union countries – which have not yet determined a clear position – expect that the new Syrian administration will end the influence of Iran and Russia in the country.
Although this is not explicitly stated, it is a condition for lifting sanctions, and the European Union also demands the formation of an inclusive government in Syria and respect for the country’s territorial integrity and minority rights.
Effects of sanctions
Although some exemptions were granted for food, medicine, and humanitarian aid in light of the sanctions imposed on Syria, bureaucratic difficulties in delivering this aid prevent it from mitigating its effects on the Syrian people.
It is expected that lifting the sanctions imposed on Syria will have various benefits for the country, accelerate economic recovery in Syria, and help its development.
