Syria-EU Relations

EU relations with Syria are based on a partnership relation within the Euro – Mediterranean and Middle East area, which is of vital strategic importance and a key external relations priority for the EU.

Association Agreement

While Association Agreements with all other Mediterranean partner countries have been signed or have entered into force, negotiations with Damascus were particularly slow and only finalised at the end of 2004.

Negotiators from the Commission and the Syrian Government concluded negotiations by initialling the texts of the Agreement on 19 October 2004. The Agreement has since been submitted to the political authorities of both sides (the Council in the EU case) for final approval and signature.

The signature of the AA by the Council is pending Syria’s co-operation with regard to regional stability in the light of Syrian responses to the independent UN Investigation Commission and associated UNSC Resolutions.

Current relations are governed by the Cooperation Agreement from 1977.

European Neighbourhood Policy

The following are documents adopted in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy:

The Strategy paper establishes a strategic framewok for the 2002-2006 EU assistance. This document describes the EU cooperation objectives, the priority fields of cooperation, on the basis of a complete evaluation of the partner's political agenda and socio-economic and political situation. Full text ...

The guiding principles of programming for 2005-2006 were the Commission strategy for financial cooperation with Syria 2002-2006 (CSP), and the recent policy framework developments including the new Neighbourhood Policy. Full text of the programme...

Follow-up links:

Updated: 31-08-2006
Sources: EU