Germany Pushes for Gradual Easing of EU Sanctions on Syria After Assad’s Ouster

Germany is driving the debate among EU countries towards relaxation of sanctions on Syria after Assad’s removal, as FT reported on Tuesday. The decision is said to be linked to the advancement of crucial social concerns in the EU and is seen by the bloc as a slow gradual opening to the violence-stricken nation.

The proposal came at a time of changing realities in Syria and the region with Germany underlining the possibility of a gradual and calibrated lifting of sanctions. The Financial Times reported that Berlin was proposing this agenda within the EU, contingent on the implementation of tangible measures for the protection of minorities, women and non-starting on weapons.

Going by the report, Berlin wrote two letters to the EU member states in late November, two pieces which identified typical sectors that the sanctions on Syria could be relaxed on. These documents – provided to senior EU officials in the capitals of member-state – called for a sequential roll back of sanctions linked to targeted social and/or humanitarian achievements.

People close to the matter said that Germany’s concept touches on the issue of how the economic support corresponds to the other goals in Syria. Another aspect regarding the desire to avoid renewed fighting and the free circulation of arms in the area.

The same reports were supported by Agence France-Presse (AFP) which quoted the European diplomats acknowledging Germany’s attempts to tone down the EU on Syria. Although the step is carried out at the stage of its conceptualization, it demonstrates the beginning of understanding within the bloc of the need for the liberalization of its policy concerning Syria after years of an embargo.

This German effort takes place against the backdrop of a wider reexamination of Syria policy on the part of other actors. Just one day prior to the reports, the United States announced its own temporary measures aimed at easing restrictions on Syria. US Treasury Department granted, for 6 months, a “Syria General License” so as to permit certain activities and transactions in the restricted country. The license is intended to respond to “the evolving situation on the ground, according to a U.S. government statement.

Berlin has recommended that the EU follow a similar temporary road, granting sanctions relief that might help underpin stability in Germany but be tied to concrete reforms. The proposal underscores Germany’s belief that easing restrictions could be a tool for encouraging social and political progress in Syria, particularly following Assad’s departure from power.

Germany’s plan apparently has met with divergent views in the EU. Even if in some states the possibility of sanctions relief to make the situation more stable is considered, in others the paths are still cautious, prepared to deliver the wrong message to the actors of the Syrian crisis.

According to the proposed conditions for the lifting of sanctions, there must be quantifiable improvement in protection of minority rights, women’s equality and rule of law. The framework highlights, moreover, the role played by non-proliferation commitments in the face of continued fears of weapon proliferation in the unstable part of the world.

Germany’s move is a major step forward in the ways that the EU can address Syria, and heralds a possible departure from the EU’s historic policy of tight sanctions. But a lot will hang on whether the Syrian government and other actors show a commitment to the conditions laid out in the Berlin offer itself.

With EU discussions ongoing, both the international community and the other global players including the U.S. are closely waiting what will happen next with regard to these discussions, especially given that other global powers are also revising their policies towards Syria. For now, Germany’s efforts underscore the growing recognition that a nuanced approach may be necessary to address the ongoing challenges in Syria and pave the way for a more stable future.