![The EU Council building on July 1, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. [Dursun Aydemir - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AA-20240701-35022158-35022157-HUNGARY_TAKES_OVER_THE_EUROPEAN_UNION_PRESIDENCY_FOR_SIX_MONTHS.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
European Union countries today suspended a range of sanctions against Syria with immediate effect, Reuters has reported. They include restrictions related to energy, banking, transport and reconstruction.
The EU has a range of sanctions in place targeting both individuals and economic sectors in Syria. European leaders began rethinking their approach after revel forces led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) ousted President Bashar Al-Assad in December.
Meeting in Brussels on Monday, EU foreign ministers agreed to suspend restrictions on the energy sector that covered oil, gas and electricity, and sanctions on the transport sector.
They have also lifted asset freezes for five banks, eased restrictions on the Syrian Central Bank and extended indefinitely an exemption to facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid.
EU states maintained a range of other sanctions related to the Assad authorities, including those on arms trading, dual-use goods with both military and civilian uses, software for surveillance and the international trade of Syrian cultural heritage goods. They said that they would continue to monitor the situation in Syria to ensure that the suspensions remained appropriate.