Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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487. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he will take to respond to the European Union plan to introduce labelling for goods produced in settlements in the West Bank. [40717/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The guidance on indications of origin of settlement produce adopted by the European Commission on 11 November has been produced in response to requests by myself and other Ministers over some time, and I therefore welcome its appearance. The guidance does not change the regulations in force, but draws the attention of importers and retailers to the simple fact that Israeli settlements in the West Bank or the Golan heights are not in Israel, and that produce from settlements may not therefore be labelled as coming from Israel. As no change in law is involved, the required response is one of publicising the advice given. I am having the advisory notice added to my own Department’s website. My Department is also writing to other Departments, asking them to bring the guidelines to the attention of relevant bodies dealing with labelling or consumer protection.