EU ministers agree on roadmap to ease Syria sanctions

European Union foreign ministers have agreed on a roadmap to ease sanctions on Syria, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday.

"While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken," Kallas said.

The EU has a range of sanctions in place targeting both individuals and economic sectors in Syria, including a ban on Syrian oil exports and restrictions on access to global financial channels.

But European capitals began reassessing their approach to Damascus after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president in December by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

EU governments want to help kickstart Syria’s recovery. But many capitals have also stressed that the EU should take a gradual and reversible approach to retain leverage as it encourages the new authorities in Damascus to respect fundamental rights and implement inclusive policies.

Ahead of Monday’s meeting, diplomats from the bloc’s 27 countries recommended taking swift action towards suspending restrictions in sectors such as energy and transport.

Officials will now proceed to work on the technical details of easing sanctions, before a suspension can be legally adopted.