Agreements
European-Syrian Cooperation Agreement
The relations between Syria and the European Union are currently governed by the 1977 Cooperation Agreement. The Agreement mainly covers trade issues. In particular, it provides duty free access to the EU market for most Syrian industrial goods, and assistance to Syria's "production and economic infrastructure". It also encourages economic dialogue between the parties. Amendments to the Cooperation Agreement were made in 1986 and 1994. Until the launch of the Barcelona Process in 1995, the Cooperation Agreement was the source of funding for the EU's development cooperation with Syria.
EU-Syria Association Agreement
The EU-Syria
Association Agreement 
, negotiated and initialled, but not yet signed, forms
part of a network of similar Association Agreements that have been concluded
with all Euro-Mediterranean partner countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan,
Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority and Tunisia). When signed, it will
constitute the main framework for bilateral relations between Syria and the EU.
The Association Agreement covers three main fields:
- Political relations: It provides the institutional framework for regular political dialogue on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest and will be an instrument to foster mutual understanding.
- Economy and Trade relations: It will create a free-trade area between the EU and Syria through tariff dismantlement over 12 years. It will also facilitate trade through regulatory approximation, as well as legal, administrative and economic reform.
- Cooperation: Almost all areas of cooperation - ranging from education and scientific cooperation, over cultural heritage and environmental protection, to health, agriculture, investment and the fight against organised crime - are covered by the Agreement.
The European-Syrian
Association Agreement , was negotiated between 1998 and 2004, when it was
first initialled. At that time the EU deemed that political circumstances were
not right for its signature. In December 2008 the Agreement was re-initialled,
following a technical update to reflect the latest enlargement of the EU and
the reforms undertaken by Syria since 2004.
In October 2009, the EU Member States unanimously agreed that they wish to
sign the EU-Syria
Association Agreement . The Syrian authorities replied to the EU Council's
invitation to sign, with a request for time to further examine the
Agreement.