EU revises asylum guidelines for Syrians one year after Assad's regime change

BARCELONA, Spain On Wednesday, the European Union released updated instructions for handling asylum claims from Syrian nationals, taking into account the changes in Syria following the overthrow of Bashar Assad a year ago. The revisions could impact the decisions for roughly 110,000 Syrians whose asylum applications were still pending as of the end of September.

The EU Agency for Asylum stated that individuals who opposed Assad or avoided military service are no longer at risk of persecution. However, other categories, such as former government affiliates and members of ethnic-religious groups including Alawites, Christians, and Druze, may still face potential dangers in Syria post-Assad.

Although asylum determinations are made by individual countries, the agency's guidance is meant to assist the 27 EU member states, along with Norway and Switzerland, in achieving consistent approaches to international protection. The objective is to harmonize policies among the 29 nations responsible for granting asylum.

The number of Syrian asylum applications fell sharply, from 16,000 in October 2024 prior to Assad's ouster to 3,500 in September 2025. Despite the decline, Syrians continue to represent the largest group with pending first-instance cases.

The conflict in Syria, which began in March 2011, resulted in nearly 500,000 deaths and forced half of the country's 23 million pre-war population to flee their homes. Over 5 million Syrians became refugees, many settling in neighboring countries like Turkey, while a significant number reached Europe, contributing to the refugee crisis that peaked in 2015.

The asylum agency described the situation in Syria as improved but volatile since Assads removal in December 2024, noting that sporadic indiscriminate violence persists in some areas. Many Syrians initially held hopes after insurgent groups removed Assad, but sectarian killings targeting Alawites in coastal regions and Druze in southern Sweida earlier this year claimed hundreds of lives.

Despite these threats, Damascus is now considered safe, according to the agency. Additionally, LGBTQ+ individuals and Palestinians in Syria who no longer receive UN assistance or protection remain eligible for refugee status.

Since Assad's fall, over one million people have returned to Syria, and nearly two million internally displaced individuals have gone back to their original regions, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Author: Benjamin Carter