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Wed June 3 2026 14:07:22

Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?

By: Reader

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Dear Ina,
I sell in the collectible stamps category. I wanted to sell a collection of Syria. I know for many years Syria has been an embargoed country. However, last year the US Government has lifted the trade embargo. The Syrian government has shown they want to become a world trader and has become more moderate in their political views. Read more here.

eBay still has this country embargoed and will remove listings using its AI bots. Talking to eBay is like talking to a wall referring back to a now outdated policy. Seems like once you are on the embargo list you never get off.
Dan

Notes from the Editor:

- Syria is still listed on eBay's Embargoed Goods policy as of today, June 3, 2026. 

- Stamp collectors talked about eBay's ban on stamps from embargoed countries in 2013 on StampCommunity.org.



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Readers Comments

Perminate Link for Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?   Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?

by: etectra This user has validated their user name.

Wed Jun 3 18:58:21 2026

"The Syrian government has shown they want to become a world trader and has become more moderate in their political views."

The head of current government is a guilty of war crimes against Christian, Alawite, Shia and Druze minorities. He was previous caught by U.S. forces while planting explosives to kill people in a terrorist attack.

Does or does not the embargo still apply to stamps created by the former regime or regimes regardless of the current government?

A uncle of mine who collected stamps was also a Viet Nam vet. Even though there was a embargo against stamps from the country for many years he purchased a nearly complete collection at a stamp show. This was around 1984 when the stamp market was extremely depressed so they cost little to nothing. I was picking up stampless covers at the show dating from the late 1700s to mid 1800s for $.25 to $.75 each.

Perminate Link for Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?   Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?

by: None Such This user has validated their user name.

Mon Jun 8 01:50:22 2026

Yes, eBay should keep up with current US policy, but eBay should also follow US Treasury legal guidance (reinforced by legal opinions) that states that it's ok to sell stamps that may be from embargoed countries, but that are already and have been for many years in the United States. In other words, the domestic sale of an item, in this case stamps, from an embargoed country. The point of the embargo is to not IMPORT stamps from those countries.  But eBay prohibits the sale of any stamps from embargoed countries, even domestic sales.  

Ebay is excessively strict on this point, but seems to have no problem in not as rigorously enforcing IP laws against counterfeit goods, including forever stamps.  

Perminate Link for Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?   Should eBay Update Its Embargoed Goods Policy?

by: clarkphilatelics This user has validated their user name.

Mon Jun 8 15:36:31 2026

eBay is excessively stupid. They appear to use string matching without context.

Sellers have reported that eBay had removed random listings of United States stamps overprinted "CUBA" for use during administration by the United States in 1899 after the Spanish American War.



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