Syria sanctions: guidance
Statutory guidance for the Syria sanctions regime, plus a summary of its purposes, scope and prohibitions.
Documents
Details
The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, and certain other regulations, are in force to meet the UK’s policy objectives.
Summary
Sanctions are broad in scope.
This summary gives a quick overview of the sanctions in place under the regime. It is not comprehensive and is not a replacement for the statutory guidance or the regulations themselves.
Designated persons
The UK Sanctions List tells you who is designated under the regime and which sanctions have been applied to them. A designated person can be an individual, a business or an organisation.
The statutory guidance lists in detail the sanctions that can apply in respect of designated persons, including:
- an asset freeze on their funds and other assets
- making available funds or economic resources to them or for their benefit
- director disqualification
- immigration sanction (travel ban)
Sanctioned goods and services
You must not export or otherwise supply or transfer to Syria or for use in Syria, or to a person connected with Syria certain goods in these categories (this is not an exhaustive list):
- goods and technology relating to chemical and biological weapons
- internal repression goods and technology
- interception and monitoring goods and technology
These items had export sanctions lifted, after the 2025 amendment.
- aviation fuel and aviation fuel additives
- goods relating to crude oil and natural gas
- technology relating to crude oil and natural gas
You must not export, make available or supply from a third country to the ‘Governing Authority of Syria’ – this means the transitional Syrian authorities and any successor authorities, and the Central Bank of Syria, or any business or organisation controlled by them:
- gold, precious metals or diamonds
You must not export, make available or supply from a third country to Syria or to a person connected with Syria:
- luxury goods
You must not import or acquire from Syria (including from Syria to a third country, and moving from a third country if originally consigned from Syria):
- military, security and para-military goods, software and technology, and arms, ammunition and related material
You must not import or acquire from the Governing Authority of Syria (including from Syria to a third country and moving from a third country if originally consigned from the Governing Authority of Syria):
- gold, precious metals or diamonds
You must not directly or indirectly provide interception and monitoring services to or for the benefit of the Governing Authority of Syria.
Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance may also be subject to sanctions.
Transport sanctions are also in force.
Updates to this page
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Added summary of the regime's purposes, scope and prohibitions.
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Page has been updated for better clarity and usability. No material changes to text.
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Online form link added to section 3.1.
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Amended to reflect the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
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Page navigation has been updated for better usability. No material changes to text.
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Reference to 'Import Case Management System' updated to 'Apply for an import licence' to reflect new service name.
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Amending to reflect the amendments previously made in 2024 through Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2024.
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These changes reflect the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2024 and taken together make a range of technical changes with the purpose of improving OFSI’s ability to gather intelligence on industry’s compliance with financial sanctions, strengthen OFSI’s enforcement powers, enable OFSI to conduct its licensing responsibilities more efficiently, and clarify financial sanctions legislation where there is existing uncertainty.
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Added the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) as a supporting organisation, who took over civil enforcement for sanctions in October 2024. As part of these new powers, OTSI has introduced a new service to apply for sanctions licences for the provision of services, which replaces the previous process of applying via SPIRE. Applications for goods-related exports sanctions licences remain via SPIRE.
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Amended to include director disqualification into the legislation guidance.
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First published.