9 European nations demand EU draft proposal to end trade with Israeli settlements

By Reuters and ToI Staff 19 June 2025, 6:54 pm

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(L-R) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Romania's Interim President Ilie Bolojan, European Council President Antonio Costa and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau begin a plenary meeting at a summit held at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025. (JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL / AFP)

Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner, accounting for about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements.

The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there is illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation.

“We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements,” the ministers write.

“We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court,” they add.

Israel’s diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment.