US – President extends national emergency with respect to actions of Syrian Government

On May 8, 2015, the Federal Register published the President’s Notice of May 6, 2015—Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Actions of the Government of Syria which extends for an additional year the national emergency originally declared in Executive Order (E.O.) 13338 on May 11, 2004, pursuant to the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003.   E.O. 13338 declared a national emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria and authorized the blocking of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or re-exportation of certain goods to Syria. The national emergency was modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in E.O. 13399 of April 25, 2006, E.O. 13460 of February 13, 2008, E.O. 13572 of April 29, 2011, E.O. 13573 of May 18, 2011, E.O. 13582 of August 17, 2011, E.O. 13606 of April 22, 2012, and E.O. 13608 of May 1, 2012.

The President found that:

The regime’s brutality and repression of the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, not only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but also is generating instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime’s actions and policies, including with respect to chemical and biological weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the Lebanese government’s ability to function effectively, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

As a result, the President is continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria.