by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The European Union on Wednesday passed legislation to lift all economic sanctions on Syria, with the exception of those tied to security and human rights concerns, marking a significant policy shift aimed at supporting the war-torn nation’s reconstruction.
The move allows the Syrian Central Bank and other financial institutions to re-enter European financial markets, paving the way for accelerated rebuilding efforts. The decision will take effect once published in the EU’s Official Journal and implements a political agreement reached by EU foreign ministers last week.
“This decision is simply the right thing to do,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. “The EU reaffirms its commitment as a partner for transition, one that helps the Syrian people reunite and rebuild a new, inclusive, peaceful Syria.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed that sentiment, stating that the post-Assad leadership must engage all segments of society. “A united Syria must be inclusive, drawing in all religious groups and communities,” he said.
However, the decision has sparked criticism from human rights groups and some EU lawmakers who argue that the bloc is moving too quickly without sufficient guarantees of political reform or accountability.
“This sends the wrong message to those still grieving the atrocities committed under the Assad regime,” said Anneliese Voss, a member of the European Parliament’s human rights committee. “Without justice for victims and a transparent transition, this risks whitewashing the past.”
Human rights advocates also warned that lifting economic sanctions could benefit former regime figures still embedded in Syria’s financial system. “There’s a danger that the same networks responsible for repression will now profit from European reinvestment,” said Philippe Dam of Human Rights Watch.
In response, EU officials stressed that sanctions targeting individuals and organizations linked to past abuses remain in place. Export restrictions on weapons and surveillance technology will also remain in place.
Still, the EU expressed hope that stabilization and reconstruction could pave the way for the voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees now residing in Europe.
“We’re opening a door to a new Syria,” said Kallas. “But the responsibility for walking through it lies with its leaders.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
The Trump administration has finalized a sweeping reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan, confirming a 15 percent U.S. tariff rate on Taiwanese imports while securing broad new market access and purchase commitments for American goods.
Democrats are applauding White House border czar Tom Homan’s Thursday announcement that immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota will end next week.
Democrats in the U.S. Senate tanked the Homeland Security full-year funding bill in a last-ditch vote Thursday, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown starting Saturday.
Mourners in a remote Canadian town grappled Thursday with the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in decades, as families, survivors and leaders reacted to the tragedy that left eight victims — most of them children — dead, along with the 18-year-old suspect.
A gunman who opened fire at a school in southern Thailand’s Hat Yai city on Wednesday wounded a teacher and a student before being detained, authorities said, in a rare attack that sent students and staff into panic.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, advancing legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain amid strong Democratic opposition.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that its advanced David’s Sling air and missile defense system has completed a series of complex modernized tests, a development officials say bolsters the country’s defensive posture as tensions with Iran escalate and the United States prepares military options that could include direct strikes.