Basic data on Syria, the international human rights instruments ratified by this country, its relationship with the EU, the main human rights issues and the different initiatives taken by its Civil Society

Syria-EU Relations

EU relations with Syria are based on a partnership relation within the Euro – Mediterranean and Middle East area, which is of vital strategic importance and a key external relations priority for the EU.

Association Agreement

While Association Agreements with all other Mediterranean partner countries have been signed or have entered into force, negotiations with Damascus were particularly slow and only finalised at the end of 2004.

Negotiators from the Commission and the Syrian Government concluded negotiations by initialling the texts of the Agreement on 19 October 2004. The Agreement has since been submitted to the political authorities of both sides (the Council in the EU case) for final approval and signature.

The signature of the AA by the Council is pending Syria’s co-operation with regard to regional stability in the light of Syrian responses to the independent UN Investigation Commission and associated UNSC Resolutions.

Current relations are governed by the Cooperation Agreement from 1977.

European Neighbourhood Policy

The following are documents adopted in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy

• Syria Country Strategy Paper 2007 - 2013 and National Indicative Program 2007 - 2010

The Country Strategy Paper drafted under the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument sets out a strategic framework for the Europeam Union co-operation with Syria over a perios 2007/2013.

On the basis of an analysis of the challenges facing the country as well as the impact of the EU co-operation so far, the CSP defines the EU´s strategy response and the priority objectives for a future co-operation.

Follow-up links:

• European Neighbourhood Policy website
• Syria - EU relations on the EU website
• EC Delegation in Syria

Human Rights Issues (Under construction)

Freedom of Association

In Syria, members of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, who have been trying to register their association for three years, have been subjected to prosecution under Article 71 of the Law of Associations No. 93 of 1958 which foresees a three months’ imprisonment and/or the payment of 1,000 Syrian Pounds for anyone who works in an unlicensed association. The dates of the hearing have not been set up yet; however, if NOHR-S members are tried by the Criminal Court before the Administrative Court issues its ruling on the registration of the NOHR-S, then NOHR-S members will be liable to imprisonment sentence.[1]

In addition, in view of presidential and/or parliamentary elections, civil society usually witnesses an increasing climate of intimidation and harassment against those expressing views critical of the government. In Tunisia, where the presidential elections are due to take place in October 2009, human rights defenders and lawyers face numerous acts of harassments. For instance, on 23 June 2009, Radhia Nasraoui, Raouf Ayadi and Samir Dilou were assaulted by Tunisian state security forces upon their return from a conference in Geneva of Tunisian exiles. Since the beginning of the year, human rights defender Khémaïs Chammari is prevented to receive guests in his house, while his – and other human rights defenders – internet links are frequently cut to disrupt his communication with one another and people abroad.