On the need for EU support towards a just transition and reconstruction in Syria

B100155/2025

European Parliament resolution on the need for EU support towards a just transition and reconstruction in Syria

(2025/2569(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria,

–having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas the Syrian civil war, which started in March 2011, lasted for almost 14 years, caused almost 1 million deaths and displaced around 7 million Syrians;

B.whereas Ahmed al-Sharaa and the organisation Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized power on 8 December 2024 by overthrowing the Assad regime;

C.whereas around 1 million Syrian refugees have received asylum in European countries; whereas many more are residing illegally in Europe;

D.whereas over the past 13 years, the EU and its Member States have mobilised more than EUR 33.3 billion in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance to tackle the Syrian crisis;

E.whereas the EU imposed sanctions on Syria during the civil war; whereas on 24 February 2025 the EU decided to suspend restrictive measures on key economic sectors in view of the improved situation in Syria; whereas the EU aims to facilitate engagement with Syria, its people and its businesses in the key areas of energy and transport, as well as to facilitate financial and banking transactions associated with these sectors and those needed for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes;

1.Notes that the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, brought about by Ahmed al-Sharaa and HTS, marked the end of hostilities in the Syrian civil war; underlines that the security situation in Syria has shown significant improvements;

2.Recalls that the Syrian civil war caused a mass exodus of Syrians to neighbouring countries and to Europe; emphasises that the massive arrival of migrants from Syria systematically destabilised the host countries because it overwhelmed their social services, dramatically increased crime rates, led to a sharp rise in antisemitism, and fuelled terrorist attacks;

3.Emphasises the need to actively encourage and facilitate the return of Syrian migrants and refugees residing in Europe, underlining that Syria’s reconstruction requires human capital;

4.Calls for the EU and its Member States to prioritise the allocation of existing financial aid dedicated to the Syrian crisis to structured return programmes and reintegration initiatives, while ensuring that such support does not benefit the remnants of the Assad regime or any terrorist groups within Syria or abroad;

5.Calls on the new Syrian Government to respect the rights of all Syrians, including those belonging to religious and ethnic minorities; urges the new Syrian Government to take measures to reassure and protect Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities throughout the country, which suffered particularly severe persecution during the civil war;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the UN Security Council and the new Government of Syria.