Project Syria 2026 will take place from 2 to 5 November 2026 at the Damascus Fairgrounds, with daily opening hours from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The organizer presents it as an international exhibition and conference for reconstruction and economic growth, connecting Syrian and international manufacturers, investors, contractors, developers and public-sector stakeholders. Its official sector profile covers construction and infrastructure, renewable energy and power, healthcare facilities, transport, tourism, smart technology and consulting services. The event also offers a free B2B matchmaking service called Match Gate. Official event information and exhibitor sectors.
For a foreign company, the exhibition can be a useful place to identify demand, meet potential partners and understand who is active in the market. It is not, however, a substitute for legal due diligence. The legal environment has become more open as broad sanctions were removed, but targeted sanctions, export controls and Syrian licensing requirements still affect how a transaction should be structured.
What changed in the international sanctions environment?
United States
The U.S. Treasury states that the United States no longer maintains comprehensive sanctions on Syria or blocking sanctions on the Government of Syria. The former Syria Sanctions Regulations were removed, the Caesar Act was repealed in December 2025, and Syria’s State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded on 24 August 2026. U.S. persons are therefore no longer broadly prohibited from engaging in transactions involving Syria solely because they involve the country or its government. Current OFAC Syria-related sanctions page.
This does not mean every person or transaction is permitted. OFAC continues list-based sanctions against designated former-regime figures and associates, human-rights abusers, Captagon traffickers, persons linked to proliferation, terrorist organizations, and Iran-linked actors. Parties, beneficial owners, banks, intermediaries and end users should still be screened.
U.S. export controls are a separate question. The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security says that many purely civilian EAR99 goods, software and technology can generally go to Syria without a licence, while controlled and dual-use items may remain licensable or be reviewed case by case. Telecommunications, power, sanitation, civil-aviation and advanced-technology exhibitors should classify products before making delivery commitments. BIS export-control update.
European Union
The Council of the EU reports that the EU lifted its economic sanctions concerning Syria in May 2025, while retaining security-based restrictions, including measures connected with arms, internal repression and designated former-regime actors. EU companies must still check the applicable regulations, sanctions lists, product classifications, financing route and end use. EU policy and sanctions status.
United Kingdom
The UK removed restrictions in several areas, including elements of finance, transport and energy, and delisted a number of previously sanctioned Syrian entities. Its official business guidance nevertheless describes Syria as a challenging and high-risk context and requires businesses to assess designated parties, export controls, diversion risk and remaining sectoral prohibitions. UK business guidance for Syria.
The practical conclusion is precise: sanctions relief has removed major country-wide barriers, but it has not removed transaction-specific compliance.
Six legal questions to address before or immediately after the exhibition
1. What will the company actually do in Syria?
Visiting an exhibition, displaying products, appointing a distributor, importing equipment, opening a branch and establishing a Syrian company are different activities. Each may involve a different legal form, licence, tax position and responsible authority. Define the proposed activity before selecting the structure.
2. Who is the proposed counterparty?
A promising meeting should be followed by verification of the counterparty’s registration, authority to sign, beneficial ownership, licences, commercial record and sanctions exposure. The same review may be necessary for agents, distributors, subcontractors and payment intermediaries.
3. Can the product legally be exported and imported?
The exporter should determine the product classification, origin, end use, end user and any licensing requirement in the exporting jurisdiction. Syrian import, customs, standards, registration and sector-specific requirements should be checked separately. A quotation should not promise delivery before these questions are resolved.
4. Is a local company, branch, distributor or project vehicle appropriate?
Syrian investment legislation was amended in 2025, and the applicable route can depend on the sector, ownership, location, project size and requested incentives. No single structure is suitable for every exhibitor. A company should compare control, liability, licensing, tax, repatriation, staffing and exit considerations before incorporating or signing an agency agreement.
5. Does the proposed contract allocate the risks clearly?
Term sheets and contracts should address scope, specifications, price and currency, payment security, delivery and acceptance, warranties, change orders, delay, force majeure, sanctions and export-control clauses, termination, governing law and dispute resolution. Translation and signing authority should also be confirmed.
6. Can the payment and banking route work in practice?
The legal permissibility of a transaction does not guarantee that every bank will process it. Companies should discuss the proposed parties, currency, documents and payment flow with their banks before assuming that funds can be transferred on schedule.
A practical legal preparation file for Project Syria 2026
Before the first meeting, prepare:
- a one-page description of the intended Syrian activity;
- a product and export-control classification list;
- a counterparty-information form;
- the company’s registration and signing-authority documents;
- a draft non-disclosure agreement where confidential information will be exchanged;
- a list of questions concerning ownership, licences, references and project authority;
- a preliminary decision tree comparing distributor, branch, company and project-specific arrangements; and
- a post-meeting review process before any binding commitment or payment.
The exhibition’s Match Gate platform can help arrange meetings, but commercial introductions should lead to verification, not replace it.
Why the opportunity deserves serious evaluation
The World Bank estimates Syria’s physical reconstruction cost at approximately US$216 billion, reflecting extensive needs across infrastructure and buildings. This figure describes the scale of recovery needs, not guaranteed contracts or returns. World Bank Syria overview. UNDP also identifies Syria’s diverse private sector as an important economic asset, while emphasizing that responsible investment requires coherent policy, fair competition and stronger value chains. UNDP private-sector analysis.
Project Syria can therefore be treated as a structured starting point: observe the market, meet stakeholders, test assumptions and then complete the legal, commercial and compliance work required for a defensible decision.
Request a Syria market-entry legal briefing
Syrian Business Law assists companies with project-specific legal assessment, entry-structure analysis, counterparty due diligence, contracts, licensing coordination and sanctions-related risk review. Send us your company profile, products or services, target activity and planned timetable to receive a preliminary list of the legal questions that should be addressed before committing resources in Syria.
For the commercial and economic perspective, read the Syrian Experts guide to Project Syria 2026.
Contact: law@syrianlaw.net · WhatsApp: +963 945 229 199
Frequently asked questions
Have all sanctions on Syria been lifted?
No. Broad country-wide U.S. sanctions and EU economic sanctions were substantially removed, but targeted sanctions, security restrictions, export controls and designated-party rules remain. The applicable rules depend on the parties, products, jurisdictions, end use and payment route.
Does attending Project Syria allow a company to trade in Syria?
Attendance creates no automatic licence or legal establishment. The required registrations, approvals and contracts depend on what the company intends to do after the event.
Should a company sign a distributor or agency agreement at the exhibition?
A non-binding discussion may be useful, but a binding appointment should normally follow verification of the counterparty, authority, licences, territory, exclusivity, performance obligations, compliance and termination rights.
Is sanctions relief the same as bankability?
No. A legally permissible transaction may still require enhanced bank review or may be declined under a bank’s internal risk policy. The payment route should be tested early.
This article provides general information as of 28 October 2026 and does not constitute legal, sanctions, export-control, tax or investment advice for a specific transaction.