Syrian President issues new customs law enforcing ban on 'Israeli' goods

• The legislation mandates a strict ban on 'Israeli' goods and items prohibited under boycott laws.
• This allows customs courts to issue enforceable rulings on smuggling cases linked to 'Israel'.
• Penalties could reach up to eight times the value of the goods.

Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa issued on Tuesday a landmark presidential decree, No. 109 of 2026, establishing a comprehensive new customs law and reorganizing the operations of the "General Authority for Ports and Customs."

According to the Authority, the new legislation aims to modernize Syria's customs system, tighten border controls, and combat smuggling.

The law grants the customs administration an independent legal personality with full financial and administrative autonomy.

The new system repeals all previous customs laws and is set to officially take effect three months after its publication.

Anti-smuggling measures

The newly enacted law introduces stringent clauses tied directly to national security and the boycott of 'Israel'.

Under Article 112, a strict ban is placed on the entry of 'Israeli' goods, as well as any products prohibited under existing boycott laws, into free zones.

The article additionally bars the entry of weapons, ammunition, and narcotics.

To ensure rapid enforcement, Article 206 empowers the Customs Court to issue expedited, enforceable judgments in smuggling cases linked to 'Israel' or weaponry, regardless of the monetary value of the seized contraband.

Furthermore, Article 243 heavily stiffens financial penalties, raising smuggling fines to between six and eight times the combined value of the seized goods and their associated duties.

Economic protections

On an administrative level, the decree mandates the digitization of customs transactions and adopts modern electronic data exchanges.

It also activates fast and selective cargo inspection mechanisms, defining the official "customs zone" to encompass all sovereign territories, territorial waters, and border crossings.

The comprehensive law also features clauses dedicated to protecting intellectual property rights and preventing counterfeit trademarks.

It establishes strict new regulatory conditions for the customs clearance profession, introducing penalties that can scale up to a permanent ban from the industry.

Conversely, under specific guidelines designed to protect the national economy, the law exempts military and internal security force supplies, as well as the personal belongings of individuals arriving for permanent residency, from customs duties.