There are currently three types of sanctions that the U.S. government has imposed against Syria.  The most comprehensive sanction, called the Syria Accountability Act (SAA) of 2004, prohibits the export of most goods containing more than 10% U.S.-manufactured component parts to Syria.  Another sanction, resulting from the USA Patriot Act, was levied specifically against the Commercial Bank of Syria in 2006.  The third type of sanction contains many Executive Orders from the President that specifically deny certain Syrian citizens and entities access to the U.S. financial system due to their participation in proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, association with Al Qaida, the Taliban or Osama bin Laden; or destabilizing activities in Iraq and Lebanon.  Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to find answers to our most commonly-asked questions about how sanctions may affect you and your business.

The Economic Office at the U.S. Embassy in Damascus provides the following services:

• Reporting on legislation, policies, and programs adopted by the Syrian Government in the fields of economy and commerce
• Preparing monthly economic reports on key topics covered by the local press
• Providing analysis on the Syrian government annual budget
• Tracking and maintaining an updated database of key economic indicators, including conducting price surveys on a quarterly basis to follow the fluctuation of prices in the Syrian market