The European Union Restores Full Implementation of Cooperation Agreement with Syria

ARK News.. The European Council announced the full reinstatement of the cooperation agreement between the European Union and Syria, following the termination of the partial suspension that had been in place since 2011, in a move described as a significant shift in the course of bilateral relations between the two sides.

In an official statement, the European Council said it had adopted a decision to terminate Council Decision 2011/523/EU, which had imposed a partial suspension on the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and Syria.

The European Union explained that ending the partial suspension means the full reactivation of the agreement, in line with the EU’s policy aimed at supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria and facilitating the country’s social and economic recovery process.

The Council further noted that developments in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, along with subsequent European Union decisions to lift economic sanctions imposed on Syria in May 2025—with the exception of sanctions linked to security considerations—led to the disappearance of the conditions that had previously justified the suspension of the agreement.

The statement stressed that the decision sends a “clear political message” regarding the European Union’s commitment to re-engaging with Syria and supporting its economic recovery.

The European Commission will formally notify the Syrian authorities of the termination of the partial suspension. The decision will enter into force from the date of its adoption, while the reactivated provisions of the agreement will begin to apply from the first day of the month following the official notification, allowing sufficient time for the implementation of the necessary procedures.

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