Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1098 of 27 May 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) 2025/1096 of 27 May 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 18 January 2012, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 (2) concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and, on 31 May 2013, the Council adopted Decision 2013/255/CFSP (3) 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) On 27 May 2024, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2024/1510 (4), extending the restrictive measures set out in Decision 2013/255/CFSP until 1 June 2025.

(3) Following the fall of al-Assad’s regime in Syria, on 24 February 2025, the Council eased a number of Union restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria in order to facilitate engagement with the country, its people and businesses in the areas of energy, transport and reconstruction, as well as to facilitate the associated financial and banking transactions. On the same date, the Council issued a declaration stating that listings related to the al-Assad regime, the chemical weapons sector and illicit drug trade should be maintained.

(4) On 20 May 2025, the Council announced its political decision to lift its economic sanctions on Syria, to support the Syrian people in reuniting and rebuilding a new, inclusive, pluralistic and peaceful Syria free from harmful foreign interference.

(5) On this basis, the Council considers that all sectoral restrictive measures should be lifted, with the exception of those based on security grounds.

(6) On the basis of a review of Decision 2013/255/CFSP and determinations made in that context, on 27 May 2025 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/1096, extending some of the restrictive measures set out in Decision 2013/255/CFSP until 1 June 2026.

(7) The power to establish and amend the list in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 should be exercised by the Council in order to ensure consistency with the process for establishing, amending and reviewing Annex I to Decision 2013/255/CFSP.

(8) 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.

(9) Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

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

(1) Article 14 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 14

(3) Article 15a is inserted: ‘Article 15a

(6) 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 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.’

(7) Article 20a is replaced by the following: ‘Article 20a By way of derogation from Article 14, the competent authorities of the Member States, as identified on the websites listed in Annex III, may authorise, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, the transfer by or through a financial entity listed in Annex II of funds or economic resources, where the transfer is related to a payment by a person or entity not listed in Annex II in connection with the provision of financial support to Syrian nationals pursuing an education, professional training or engaged in academic research in the Union, provided that the competent authority of the relevant Member State has determined, on a case-by-case basis, that the payment will not directly or indirectly be received by a person or entity listed in Annex II.’

(8) in Article 21c(1) the final subparagraph is replaced by the following: ‘provided that the competent authority of the relevant Member State has determined, on a case-by-case basis, that the payment will not directly or indirectly be received by any person or entity listed in Annex II and provided that the transfer is not otherwise prohibited by this Regulation.’

(10) Article 27a is replaced by the following: ‘Article 27a It shall be prohibited to participate, knowingly and intentionally, in activities the object or effect of which is to circumvent the provisions of Articles 2a, 3 and 3a.’

(12) Articles 1a, 6, 6a, 6b, 7, 7a, 8, 9, 9a, 10, 11, 11a, 11b, 12, 13, 13a, 21, 21a, 21b, 23, 24, 25, 25a, 26 and 26a are deleted;

(13) Annexes IV, Va, Vb, VI, VII, VIII, X and XI are deleted.

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, 27 May 2025.

For the Council The President A. SZŁAPKA

(1) OJ L, 2025/1096, 28.5.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1096/oj.

(2) 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)).

(3) 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)).

(4) Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1510 of 27 May 2024 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ L, 2024/1510, 28.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/1510/oj).