Suspension Of The Eu-Israel Association Agreement

EDM number 1288 in 2003-04, proposed by Lynne Jones on 26/05/2004.

That this House supports the recommendation of the International Development Select Committee's Second Report of Session 2003-04 that Israel's preferential terms of trade with the EU should be suspended until Israel lifts the movement restrictions placed on Palestinian trade; notes that the EU-Israel Association Agreement is an extensive free trade agreement which includes the liberalisation of goods and services, the free movement of capital, rules on competition, economic and social co-operation, political dialogue and cultural co-operation and came into force on 1st June 2000; further notes that Israel has long been in violation of the aspect of the agreement which states that relations between the parties, as well as all the provisions of the agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights in relation to their internal and international policy; is concerned that Israel's restrictions on the movement of Palestinian goods, its destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and its total control of the Occupied Palestinian Territory's borders are denying Palestinian exporters access to EU markets; recognises that EU exports to Israel, which are greater in value than EU imports from Israel, might suffer retaliatory action; but shares the view of the International Development Select Committee that the EU's short-term economic self-interest with one trading partner should not take precedence over a direct challenge to its trade policy in the region and its trade obligations to the Palestinian Authority; and therefore urges the United Kingdom Government to propose the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to the EU Council of Trade Ministers.

This motion has been signed by a total of 48 MPs.