Brussels, 20/08/2014 (Agence Europe) - Speaking to EUROPE on 19 August, the European Commission denied that a ban would come into force with effect from 1 September on Israeli dairy and poultry products originating from the occupied territories which are not recognised by the UN, contrary to announcements made in the Israeli media. “The European Union has not announced any commercial restrictions on 1 September, and the related conditions reported in the media are incorrect”, an institution source explained.
The Commission stated that in a letter dated 28 July, it called on Israel to take the appropriate measures to ensure that the competent authorities did not issue any certificates for exports to the EU for establishments and farms supplying products of animal origin located in areas beyond the pre-1967 borders, and that the list of establishments and farms is amended accordingly.
In this letter, the Commission asked to be notified of the measures taken by Israel within one month. “In the case of non-action or non-compliance within this timeframe, the Commission would have to envisage taking possible relevant measures in order to regularise the situation”, a spokesperson added. The Israeli colonies are illegal under international law.
At the same time, a draft report on an audit into the sanitary conditions for poultry exports published in June identified a number of shortcomings. This report, which was submitted to the Israeli authorities in early August, asked them to submit observations and an action plan within 25 working days. “This deadline might have led to the unjustified rumours about possible bans on 1 September”, the Commission adds, explaining that the draft report did not address the issue of the territories and that the “shortcomings identified would not justify a Commission ban, certainly not at this stage”.
According to reports in the Israeli media, the Commission announced that food from the territories occupied since 1967 was considered not to comply with the rules. As of 1 September, the entry into the EU of all products of animal origin would be banned, they announced. According to an Israeli official, the ministry of agriculture has asked poultry and dairy producers to prepare for the EU's decision by setting in place separate production lines for Europe, which will not include products from the Israeli colonies, in order to allow them to be exported to the EU (our translation throughout). (CG)