Brussels, 22/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The meeting of the EU/Israel Association Committee on 21 May took place with the saddening backdrop of the recent developments in the Middle East, but it was productive, told the press, Mr John Hagard, Deputy Director General in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, who represented the Presidency of the EU Council. Mr Hagard stated that the works had kept themselves to examining issues of a "technical" nature, but, in a declaration read out on behalf of the EU15, the Presidency nevertheless recalled that Article 2 of the EU/Israel Association Agreement stipulates that the relationship between the parties is subordinate to the respect of human rights.
Peter Zangl, Director for External Relations at the Commission, indicated for his part, during the meeting, that it had been a case of competition, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, trade, mutual recognition of standards and cooperation in terms of education. As for the issue of rules of origin (with regards to the EP debate, see EUROPE of 17 May, p.3), Mr Zangl reiterated what Commissioner Patten has said in Strasbourg, namely that the Palestinian territories are not covered by the Association Agreement, and that the preferential access granted to products, which come from there would be illegal. Mr Zangl indicated that, in ten months, some 2,500 questionnaires had been sent by the Member States to Israel to clarify the situations linked to the application of rules of origin; only 700 have yet been returned. The Commission and the Member States will discuss the number of answers received and their wording on 31 May, during the meeting of the Customs Committee, said Mr Zangl, who added that the question would then be examined in the second half of July by the Customs cooperation committee (foreseen by the Association Agreement). In case of an agreement between the parties, the dispute would be returned to the specific association committee and, if necessary, to the Association Council, that is to say at the ministerial level. Following the meeting, the Israeli representatives implicitly admitted the uncertainty of the situation. The customs borders derive from political borders, asserted Mr Harry Kney-Tal, Israeli Ambassador to the EU, when noting that the geographic coverage of the EU/Israel Association Agreement has never been clearly defined by the parties.