Syria has been aware of the need to build investment-encouraging frameworks. These frameworks should encompass strong incentives for pioneer projects expected to play strategic roles in the Syrian economy. President Bashar Al-Assad has declared the investment as a national goal, building on the fact that national as well as direct foreign investments form a stronger and more reliable engine for sustainable development.

1- The strategic geographic location:

• Crossroads for three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe).

• The heart of the Middle East.

• Outlets to the sea through Lattakia and Tartous ports and also through neighbouring outlets such as the Beirut harbour.

• Young and promising leadership represented by president Bashar Al-Assad.

• Political as well as economic pluralism strongly established by the undying leader, Hafez Al-Assad.

• Permanent constitution guaranteeing the freedom of belief and expression and protecting private property.

• Economic policies based on the public sector's leading role in the national economy, while supporting and encouraging the private sector.

• Economic pluralism and genuine partnership between the public and private sectors.

• Full commitment towards structural modernization and development in various fields (administrative, economic, legal etc).
  

4- The incentives and exoneration promoting the investment:

• The authorized projects will enjoy many privileges, facilities, exoneration and guarantees stipulated in the Investment Law.

• The projects authorized under the provisions of this law shall have the right to import:

  1. All machines, vehicles, apparatuses, equipment, tools, work cars, buses and minibuses needed to operate these projects as well as all other materials needed to construct, expand or develop them.

  2. Tourist service cars.

  3. All materials and necessities needed to operate the projects.
     The relevant authority shall define the number and type of all transport means stipulated in the previous paragraphs (a and b) according to the principles ratified by the Supreme Council of Investment.
     All import activities referred to in the above paragraph will not be subject to the provisions concerning banning and limiting the imports nor to the system of direct import from the country of origin nor to the currency laws.

• The imports stipulated in Paragraph (a) of Article (11) of this Law shall be exonerated from all fiscal and municipal taxes and duties as well as from customs tariffs and other duties, provided that these items are exclusively used for the project purpose.
  These items shall not be given away to others but upon an agreement by the Supreme Council for Investment and after settling all taxes and duties due on them in their current status.

• The imports stipulated in paragraphs b and c of Article 11 of this Law shall not be given away to others or used for other purposes than the project's but upon an agreement by the Supreme Council for Investment.

• Mixed companies authorized under the provisions of the Law (i.e. their stocks, money, profits and distributions) shall be exonerated from all kinds of income tax and from the taxes imposed on the revenues of lands and real estates owned by those companies to realize their own purposes.
  The exoneration shall last seven years beginning with the investment or real production launch, according the project nature.

• Projects owned by individuals or non-mixed companies, and authorized under the provisions of this Law, shall be exonerated from all kinds of income tax and from the taxes imposed on the revenues of lands and real estates owned by those companies to realize their own purposes.
  The exoneration shall last five years beginning with the investment or real production launch, according to the project nature.

• The Syrian population is about 18 millions.

• Trained and rehabilitated work force.

• High education levels among the Syrians.

• High percentage of those with university degrees.

• A network of roads and communications linking together all the Syrian cities and villages.

• Modern ports on the Mediterranean Sea (Lattakia and Tartous) and major navigation routes for liners.

• The Syrian Airlines arrange direct air travels to the main cities in the Arab countries and in Europe, Africa and North America.

• The Governmental Communications Establishment provides telephone, fax and internet services.

• Electricity network is available in all the Syrian cities and villages.
  Moreover Syria is linked with Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and Iraq through an electric linking network.

• Government and private education in Arabic, English and French.

• Ample health services with international standards and low cost in the government and private hospitals.

• Cultural and sport clubs, festivals, cultural and entertaining shows and very interesting monumental places.

• Excellent restaurants and hotels that combine between modernity and deep rootedness. Upon this, investors will enjoy a superior level of living at a low cost.

• Access to the neighbouring Arab countries especially Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries through common economic activities within the Great Arab Free Trade Area.

• Access to the EU markets through the negotiations for the Syrian-European Association Agreement.

• Bilateral agreements and preferable protocols with many countries all over the world.

• Syria has extended an application to join the World Trade Organization during its last periodical meeting in Al-Doha in 2001.

The Syrian government is currently trying to activate the Syrian free zones already spread in most Syrian cities, and to build industrial zones in the countryside of Damascus, Aleppo and Homs and also in the other Syrian Cities.