Written answers

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Israeli Imports

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the proposed labelling measures for goods from Israeli settlements that are currently being discussed at the EU level will take the form of voluntary guidelines or will be mandatory by law; if they will extend to all goods imported from Israeli settlements beyond just fresh agricultural produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30912/13]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is important to be aware that EU regulations already prohibit misleading labelling of goods, which might lead a consumer to make a different choice than he or she would make if in full possession of the facts. This includes settlement goods. The essential element of voluntary national guidelines already issued by some Member States, and of the EU level guidelines now being considered, is to make clear to importers, wholesalers and retailers that the Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory are not located in Israel, and that it would therefore be misleading if goods produced there were labelled, as they reportedly are in some cases, as being “Made in Israel”. These are thus guidelines to the correct implementation of already existing EU law. As such they will apply to all goods produced by settlements. In all administrations, labelling of goods is a complex matter, involving numerous different Ministries, policy areas and objectives. At EU level, the EAS is now working through these complex issues with the European Commission to produce draft EU guidelines. This may take some time – the UK guidelines in this area were the result of a two year period of consultation. Since this work is ongoing, I cannot predict the details of what will eventually emerge.

Mandatory place of origin labelling applies to some types of goods in the EU. For other products, such labelling is not required at all, and where it appears this is a choice of the producer, importer or retailer. Many goods which do not have to carry place of origin labelling nonetheless do so.

No Member State has suggested that the outcome at EU or national level will be to require all goods produced by settlements to be origin labelled. This would be to introduce a mandatory origin labelling regime for settlement goods alone, which would be disproportionate for such a tiny proportion of goods marketed in the EU. The intention is that origin labelling, where it appears on a mandatory or voluntary basis, must be accurate.

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