EU Renews Assad-Era Sanctions, Delists Syria's Defence and Interior Ministries

The EU Council renewed restrictive measures against individuals and entities linked to the former Assad regime until June 1, 2027, while simultaneously removing seven entities from the sanctions list — most significantly Syria's Ministries of Defence and Interior as they now operate under the transitional government of Ahmad al-Sharaa. The delisting enables direct EU engagement with Syria's new security architecture and opens the door for security sector cooperation. This followed the May 11 restoration of the full EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement (suspended since 2011). The combined moves mark the most significant EU normalization steps with Damascus in over a decade. Enab Baladi reported that the EU's approach distinguished between the former regime's structures (still sanctioned) and the new transitional administration (now eligible for engagement).