EU Prepares Roadmap for Economic and Security Ties with Syria After Years of Stalled Relations

The European Union is preparing a comprehensive roadmap to restore formal relations with Syria after years of diplomatic stagnation, according to a background paper produced by the bloc's diplomatic service and circulated to member states. The document, first reported by Reuters, signals a significant policy shift in Brussels toward Damascus following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

Resuming the 1978 Agreement and Launching Political Dialogue

The paper states that the EU will fully resume its 1978 cooperation agreement with Syria and initiate a High-Level Political Dialogue with the Syrian transitional authorities on 11 May, marking the first structured diplomatic engagement between the two sides in over a decade.

A Broad Economic Partnership

On the economic front, the document outlines plans to establish a framework for trade and investment, mobilise private sector funding, and support structural reforms to improve Syria's business environment through a new technical assistance hub. The EU also expresses ambitions to integrate Syria into major regional connectivity initiatives, most notably the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, positioning the country as a hub for transport, energy, and digital links.

Security Cooperation and the Refugee File

In the security domain, the document affirms the EU's capacity to support training for Syrian police forces and institutional capacity-building within the interior ministry, alongside cooperation on counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and organised crime. Brussels also commits to facilitating the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees and displaced persons. Europe currently hosts over one million Syrian refugees, with roughly half residing in Germany.

Support for the Northeast Agreement and Kurdish Rights

The document further underscores EU backing for the implementation of the January agreement between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast, which includes integrating local institutions into the state structure and expanding rights for Syrian Kurds.

Syria's Push for International Integration

These developments come as Syria actively pursues broader international reintegration following the lifting of most Western sanctions. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has stated that President Ahmed al-Sharaa's diplomatic visits to Berlin and London lay the groundwork for a new era of Syrian-European relations built on mutual respect and shared interests.