Greens/EFA call for banning all trade with illegal settlements

Two years ago, the International Court of Justice concluded unambiguously that Israel’s settlements are unlawful under international law. Yet, the European Union is still trading with them. Yesterday, after reviewing three different proposals from the Commission, the Foreign Affairs Council stated that taking action against the trade with settlements was the option that got the most support from the Member States.

MEP Catarina Vieira, Greens/EFA Coordinator in the Committee for Human Rights (DROI) and Member of the Trade Committee (INTA), comments: 
 
“Anything short of immediate action for a full ban on trade with settlements leaves the EU in breach of its obligations under international law. The Commission should make a legislative proposal to stop trade of goods and services with illegal settlements, so that a qualified majority of Member States can adopt this measure without further delay.”

MEP Villy Søvndal, Greens/EFA Member in the Committee for Foreign Affairs (AFET), comments: 
 
"The approach the EU has relied on so far, supposedly treating settlement products differently from goods produced within Israel's recognised borders, has obvious limitations. By merely relabeling the products, it fails to address the economic model of the settlements itself.  It falls short of what the EU’s obligations under international law require. It is time to use all the tools at our disposal, including bans on trade, to make sure we follow our legal obligations.”