International

The European Parliament is demanding additional guarantees regarding the origin of Israeli products before it will put the seal of approval on a new agreement governing trade with Israel. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong sees this as a minimal first step, but continues to support a suspension of the Association Agreement under which the trade accord falls. ‘As long as Israel presses ahead with its illegal building of settlements in the Occupied Territories and the abuse of human rights, I will remain opposed to extending further trade privileges to Israel. We must first see far-reaching improvements, and only then will we be able to discuss trade privileges.’

A vote is expected to take place on the revised accord, with the additional guarantees demanded by the EP, at the July plenary. The upgrade of the trade agreement will mean that all pharmaceuticals legally available on the Israeli market will be permitted to be sold in Europe without additional tests by the EU or its member states, while the same will apply to European medicines in Israel. The European Parliament is demanding, before it agrees to this, further guarantees that industrial products from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in the areas occupied by Israel in 1967, will not benefit from trade privileges, while the same will apply to the Settlements.