Latest news with #EUtrade
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
EU countries seek ban on trade with illegal zones of Israel
BRUSSELS: Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. 'We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements,' the ministers wrote. 'We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court,' they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. 'Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities,' the minister said in a statement to Reuters. 'This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation,' he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16 hours ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
9 EU Countries Call for Talks on Ending Trade with Israeli Settlements
Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. "We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements," the ministers wrote. "We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court," they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. "Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities," the minister said in a statement to Reuters. "This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation," he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nine EU countries call for talks on ending trade with Israeli settlements
By Lili Bayer BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. "We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements," the ministers wrote. "We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court," they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. "Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities," the minister said in a statement to Reuters. "This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation," he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza. ($1 = 0.8710 euros)
Reuters
19 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Nine EU countries call for talks on ending trade with Israeli settlements
BRUSSELS, June 19 (Reuters) - Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. "We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements," the ministers wrote. "We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court," they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. "Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities," the minister said in a statement to Reuters. "This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation," he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza. ($1 = 0.8710 euros)
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
EU dismisses reports that it is ready to accept flat 10% U.S. tariff
BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) - The European Commission dismissed on Monday reports suggesting it was willing to accept a broad U.S. tariff of 10% on EU goods as speculative and said they did not reflect current discussions. "Negotiations are ongoing, and no agreement has been reached at this stage. The EU has from the start objected to unjustified and illegal U.S. tariffs," the Commission said in a statement. German newspaper Handelsblatt had said earlier on Monday that Brussels negotiators were prepared to accept the flat 10% U.S. tariff on most EU imports to avert higher duties on EU cars, drugs and electronics. The Commission, which negotiates trade deals for the 27-nation EU, responded by saying "reports suggesting that the EU accepts a US tariff of 10% across all our exports are speculative and do not reflect the current state of discussions." The next step in negotiations is a planned meeting between European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at this week's G7 meeting in Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced wide-ranging tariffs on trade partners, and wants to reduce the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU, which he has said was "formed in order to screw the United States". European Union exporters are currently contending with U.S. tariffs of 50% for steel and aluminium, 25% for cars and car parts and a 10% tariff on most other goods, which could rise in July after a 90-day pause announced by Trump in early April. Britain accepted a limited bilateral trade agreement in May that retains Trump's 10% tariffs on British exports, while cutting higher rates for steel and cars. EU trade ministers subsequently said that would not be acceptable for the 27-nation bloc. However, U.S. officials have said in public and told EU counterparts in private that the 10% flat rate is a minimum it will not drop below for any trading partner.
