Brussels, 21/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 20 May, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton denied to EUROPE the information from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz - information picked up by European media - according to which the EU has postponed from May to the end of June its decision to label products from Israeli settlements. “Not at all”, Maja Kocijancic told EUROPE, saying that “the work on re-labelling continues” and recalling the Council conclusions of 10 December (see EUROPE 10748). Confirming that the work on labelling is still ongoing, another European source told EUROPE that the conclusions on the Middle East are planned for the Foreign Affairs Council in June.
According to Haaretz, US Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly spoke to Ashton and several member states, on Israel's request, to postpone the measure's entry into force - which has also been denied.
Quoting European and Israeli sources, Haaretz explained on 19 May that the decision - which was due to be taken by the foreign affairs ministers in May - would finally not be submitted to them until the end of June. Thirteen member states said in a letter on 12 April that they were ready to help Ashton in her work so that the products from the settlements might be labelled. (CG/transl.fl)