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12/10/2004  The European Union has ended 12 years of sanctions against Libya.

"This is a turning point in relations with Libya," said French European Affairs Minister Claudie Haignere.

The United Nations sanctions were imposed in 1992 to force Tripoli to hand over two Libyans indicted for the 1988 bombing of an American airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. A year later, they were expanded to include a freeze on Libyan assets in foreign bank accounts and a ban on buying oil equipment.

The EU foreign ministers acted in accordance with a UN decision last year. The move reflected a significant warming of relations in recent months.

The foreign ministers approved an Italian request to ease the EU's own arms embargo imposed on Libya in 1986. This will enable Libya to buy high-tech equipment to prevent the flow of illegal African migrants through Libya into Europe.

An EU "technical mission" will likely visit Libya in November to assess Libya's need for equipment to monitor illegal migration. Italy intend to supply equipment such as night-vision binoculars and helicopters, but has not been able to do so because of the arms embargo.

The United States lifted most of its commercial sanctions in April after Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi abandoned his banned weapons programmes.

21 /9/2004 - The US lifted its trade embargo on Libya.

President George W. Bush lifted remaining sanctions by signing an executive order effectively giving US companies a green light to trade and invest in Libya.

Here you may find the list of Libyan leading Law firms. Please feel free to download it.