US Congress clears repeal of Caesar sanctions on Syria
Shafaq News – Washington
The US Senate voted on Wednesday to pass a defense budget bill that repeals sanctions on Syria imposed under the Caesar Act.
The move follows approval by the US House of Representatives last week, completing Congress’s legislative process on the measure.
Following the Senate’s vote, the repeal now enters the executive phase after the House of Representatives approved the bill last week. The legislation will be formally enrolled and transmitted to the White House, after which Trump has up to 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign it into law or allow it to take effect automatically while Congress remains in session.
Under the bill’s provisions, the repeal of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. While the Trump administration has already relied on temporary waivers to suspend most sanctions, the effective date would mark the permanent removal of the Act’s secondary sanctions framework.
The law also requires the administration to submit periodic reports to Congress on Syria’s progress in counterterrorism efforts, minority protections, and regional security, while preserving presidential authority to impose targeted sanctions on individuals if necessary.
Read more: Caesar Act lifted: Syria’s economy reopens, reforms await
The US and the EU began imposing economic sanctions on Syria in 2011 following the outbreak of the civil war, aiming to pressure the government by targeting the financial and energy sectors, freezing the assets of senior officials, and restricting trade. The measures were significantly expanded in 2019 with the enactment of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which broadened sanctions to include foreign entities engaging with Damascus and effectively blocked reconstruction efforts.
