"A suspension of the trade chapter of the agreement would withdraw trade preferences for Israeli products to enter the EU market and would require a qualified majority vote among EU governments, according to a July options paper prepared by the bloc's diplomatic service. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting for nearly a third of Israel's total international trade in goods last year."
"Von der Leyen also said that the Commission will put its bilateral support for Israel on hold, without affecting work with Israeli civil society and Yad Vashem, Israel's main Holocaust memorial centre. The Commission had previously proposed curbing Israeli access to its flagship research funding programme but failed to garner sufficient support from EU member countries for the move. Diplomats say Germany's view on the proposal is key, and Germany has said it is so far unconvinced."
The European Commission will propose sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers and partially suspend the EU-Israel association agreement's trade chapter, targeting trade preferences for Israeli products entering the EU. A suspension would remove trade benefits and requires a qualified majority of 15 of 27 member states representing 65% of the EU population. The EU accounted for nearly a third of Israel's goods trade last year. The Commission will pause bilateral support for Israel while maintaining work with Israeli civil society and Yad Vashem. A prior proposal to curb Israeli access to EU research funding lacked member support, with Germany unconvinced. A Palestine Donor Group will be established.
Read at Irish Independent
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