On Monday 21 January, the EU Council added 11 prominent Syrian businessmen and five Syrian entities to the list of of those subject to restrictive measures against the Syrian regime and its supporters, with immediate publication of the legal acts in the Official Journal of the EU (see EUROPE 12173).
According to the Council, these businessmen and companies are involved in luxury estate development and other regime-backed projects, and as such support and/or benefit from the Syrian regime.
With this decision, 270 persons and 72 entities are now subject to a travel ban and an asset freeze due to their support for the Syrian regime.
The sanctions against Syria were initially imposed in 2011 and are reviewed on an annual basis. The next one must take place no later than 1 June, 2019.
In addition, five Syrians and the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) were also sanctioned on 21 January on the list related to the use and proliferation of chemical weapons (see other news). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)