16 European Union FMs urge labeling settlement products

Diplomats maintain that move would preserve the two-state solution

By Rahel Jaskow 16 April 2015, 4:45 pm

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European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini speaks during the informal Ministerial meeting gathering foreign ministers from the European Union and the southern Mediterranean nations in Barcelona on April 13, 2015. (AFP/LLUIS GENE)

The foreign ministers of 16 of the European Union’s 28 member states sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini asking her to promote the labeling of products from the settlements in store chains throughout Europe.

Among those who signed the letter were the foreign ministers of the UK, Belgium and France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Croatia, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Malta, as well as from Sebastian Kurz, Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. Germany wasn’t among the signatories.

The ministers wrote in the letter, which was first published by the Israeli daily Haaretz, that issuing the guidelines to all the EU member states is a means of preserving the two-state solution.

The EU prepared to take a similar measure two years ago, but postponed it because of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

A leaked EU report last month suggested that sanctions on Israel should be considered for its continued construction in “sensitive areas” of Jerusalem. One of the recommendations listed in the report was the labeling of West Bank products.