The Federal Council of Switzerland has decided to extend indefinitely the humanitarian exemption from the sanctions regime against the Syrian government. Previously, the Council had announced two separate six-month temporary reliefs of certain sanctions to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria.
“In response to the severe humanitarian crisis in Syria following the February 2023 earthquake, the European Union provided a temporary humanitarian exemption from the sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime on February 23, 2023. This exemption was subsequently extended twice for international organizations and specific categories of humanitarian actors. On May 27, 2024, the European Union further extended the exemption for another year,” according to a statement from the Swiss government.
On March 10, 2023, the Council decided to incorporate the EU’s temporary humanitarian exemption into the decree on measures against the Syrian regime, initially for six months. This exemption has since been extended twice.
“The humanitarian exemption ensures that targeted financial sanctions do not apply to activities necessary for the humanitarian work of international organizations and certain humanitarian actors,” the Swiss government emphasized, adding that “with today’s decision, the Council extends the duration of the exemption indefinitely, providing the concerned humanitarian actors with greater predictability.”
It is worth noting that Switzerland has adopted sanctions in alignment with the European Union’s sanctions regime and has imposed them on the Syrian government since March 2011. The sanctions list includes 317 individuals and 82 entities, while European sanctions target 322 individuals and 81 entities.
The Swiss sanctions list includes senior figures in the Syrian regime, including President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, who are particularly targeted by asset freezes, an entry ban into Switzerland, as well as an embargo on military equipment and a ban on the sale of oil and petroleum products.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
