EU Israel Agreement

Truth in labeling: EU court challenges "Made in Israel"

Phon van den Biesen and Adri Nieuwhof 10 March 2010



On 25 February, the European Court of Justice ruled that imports manufactured in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank shouldn’t benefit from a trade agreement between Israel and the European Union. The ruling follows protests of Israel’s export of products from the illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) to the EU and Switzerland labeled as “Made in Israel.” Products labeled as such benefit from favorable import taxes under the EU-Israel Association Agreement of 2000. Phon van den Biesen and Adri Nieuwhof comment for The Electronic Intifada. 

Maltese civil society: Suspend EU-Israel agreement

5 February 2009



In view of the recent three-week premeditated campaign of bombing of the population of Gaza and its infrastructure by the State of Israel which came after a crippling, illegal two-year siege, we, 14 member organizations of SKOP, the Maltese national platform of development non-governmental organizations, call for a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. 

Israel has won the European cup: a special relationship

Arjan El Fassed 17 June 2008



Israel has now been granted the highest level of European Union relations available to a non-member state, despite the EU’s own finding that “little concrete progress” has been made on issues raised between Israel and the EU, namely Israel’s human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. EI co-founder Arjan El Fassed comments on the efforts towards a “more intense, more fruitful, more influential cooperation” between the EU and Israel. 

In bed with Israel: EU's close relationship with Israel supports abuse

Arjan El Fassed 11 March 2005



Amid international efforts to flourish the peace industry, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is due next week to visit Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Under the past Dutch presidency of the European Union (EU), the Dutch government has put a lot of efforts to enhance the EU involvement in the Middle East diplomatic process. However, the costs of these efforts have been enormous. Instead of providing incentives to ensure Israel respects international humanitarian law, under the leadership of the Netherlands, Israel received rewards without withdrawing one single soldier from Gaza. 

EU raises pressure on Israel

European Union 18 November 2003



After the fourth meeting of the Association Council, the European Union issued a statement, saying its wants Israel to halt the construction of its wall through the West Bank. This statement was issued by the European Union on the fourth meeting of the Association Council EU-Israel, held in Brussels, 17-18 November 2003. The EU is deeply concerned by the situation in the region and has noted that, despite support given by the international community to the quest for a just and lasting solution, insufficient effort has been made by the concerned parties.