Council Regulation (EU) 2025/407 of 24 February 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/406 of 24 February 2025 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (1),

Having regard to the joint proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 31 May 2013, the Council adopted Decision 2013/255/CFSP (2) and on 18 January 2012 it adopted Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 (3) concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria. This was following the adoption of Council conclusions in which the Council condemned the violence and widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights in Syria.

(2) Following the fall of al-Assad’s regime in Syria, in its conclusions of 19 December 2024 the European Council stressed the historic opportunity to reunite and rebuild the country and underlined the importance of an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in line with the core principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015).

(3) On the basis of a review of Decision 2013/255/CFSP, the Council assessed that, in order to encourage an inclusive transition in Syria and to support humanitarian aid delivery, economic recovery, reconstruction and stabilisation, as well as facilitating the return of Syrian nationals to Syria along with their belongings, it is appropriate to suspend a number of sectoral and individual measures, introduce certain exemptions, as well as to remove the expiry date of the current humanitarian exemption from asset freeze measures. To this end, on 24 February 2025 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/406.

(4) The Council will closely follow the developments in Syria, particularly with as regards the concerns expressed in the European Council Conclusions of 19 December 2024, to examine the appropriateness of the continued suspension of and exemptions to the restrictive measures concerned.

(5) In this context, the Council notes that the delimitation of maritime zones should be addressed through dialogue and negotiation in good faith, in full respect of international law and in accordance with the principle of good neighbourly relations. Any violation of neighbouring States’ sovereign rights within their maritime zones in accordance with law of the sea, will be duly considered in the context of the constant review of the restrictive measures.

(6) These measures fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and therefore, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application in all Member States, regulatory action at the level of the Union is necessary.

(7) Regulation (EU) 36/2012 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 is amended as follows:

(1) the following Article is inserted: ‘Article 1a The application of the following provisions shall be suspended: Articles 6, 6a, 6b, 7, 7a, 8, 9, 9a, 10, 11, 12, 13, 13a, 21a, 21b and 26a.’

(2) in Article 6, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 6(1) (1)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(3) in Article 6a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 6a(2) (2)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(4) in Article 6b, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 6b(3) (3)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(5) in Article 7, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 7(4) (4)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(6) in Article 7a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 7a(5) (5)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(7) in Article 8, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 8(6) (6)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(8) in Article 9, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 9(7) (7)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(9) in Article 9a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 9a(8) (8)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(10) in Article 10, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 10(9) (9)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(11) in Article 11, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 11(10) (10)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(12) in Article 11b, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2.   The prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 shall not apply to goods listed in Annex X provided that such sale, supply, transfer, or export is for personal use of natural persons travelling from the European Union or members of their immediate families travelling with them, and limited to personal effects, household effects or vehicles owned by those individuals and not intended for sale in Syria.’

(13) in Article 12, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 12(11) (11)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(14) in Article 13, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 13(12) (12)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(15) in Article 13a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 13a(13) (13)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(19) Article 20 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 20 By way of derogation from Article 14 and provided that a payment by a person, entity or body listed in Annex II, IIa or IIb is due under a contract or agreement that was concluded by, or an obligation that arose for the person, entity or body concerned before, the date on which that person, entity or body had been designated, the competent authorities of the Member States, as indicated on the websites listed in Annex III, may authorise, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, provided that the payment is not directly or indirectly received by a person or entity referred to in Article 14.’

(20) in Article 21a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 21a(14) (14)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(21) in Article 21b, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 21b(15) (15)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

(23) in Article 26a, the heading is replaced by the following: ‘Article 26a(16) (16)  The application of this provision is suspended pursuant to Article 1a of this Regulation’ "

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 24 February 2025.

For the Council The President K. KALLAS

(1) OJ L, 2025/406, 25.2.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/406/oj.

(2) Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ L 147, 1.6.2013, p. 14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/255/oj).

(3) Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 (OJ L 16, 19.1.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/36/oj).