EU member states have agreed to ease an oil embargo on Syria to allow the purchase of crude from the opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. Foreign ministers said they had made the decision "with a view to helping the Syrian civilian population". European companies will now be able to import crude oil and petroleum products from opposition-held areas. Each transaction will have to be approved by the main opposition alliance, the National Coalition. Sanctions were first imposed on Syria's oil industry in September 2011 in response to the government's crackdown on pro-democracy protests. Before then, oil accounted for about 25% of Syria's state revenue and EU member states bought about 95% of its crude exports.

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