The EU has decided to ease its embargo on Syrian crude oil to help the country’s opposition movement.

It means that European firms will be allowed to import crude and petroleum products from opposition-controlled areas.

Foreign ministers from the 27-member states agreed to the measure following talks in Luxembourg.

The EU first slapped oil sanctions on the Syrian oil industry in September 2011.

At that time, it counted for an estimated 25 percent of the Syrian state’s revenues.

Euronews correspondent in Luxembourg Andrei Beketov said: “It appears that the EU isn’t counting on a quick resolution to the Syrian conflict. With the debate on arming the rebels is heading nowhere, an economic approach is preferred instead.

euronews