Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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148. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is aware of efforts by producers in the occupied West Bank to label their goods as having originated in Israel; how his Department will ensure that fraudulently labelled goods are not imported into Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38633/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with international law, Ireland distinguishes between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967 and ensures that any bilateral agreements with Israel do not apply to the occupied territories.

Regarding Ireland’s economic and trade relationship with Israel, the EU's common commercial policy is a matter of exclusive EU competence.  The EU also applies a policy of differentiation, which it reiterated most recently to Israel at the EU-Israel Association Council in February 2025. 

Goods originating from Israeli settlements in territories that have been under Israeli administration since June 1967 are not entitled to benefit from any preferential tariff treatment (neither under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, nor under the Interim Association Agreement on Trade and Cooperation signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on behalf of the Palestinian Authority).

The differentiation between products originating in Israel and the settlements is ensured via a 'Technical Arrangement' between the EU and Israel customs authorities, which has been in force since 2004.  The Arrangement requires proofs of origin issued in Israel to identify the place where the production process relevant for rules of origin purposes occurred. A list is published by the Commission identifying (by name and postal code), the areas occupied by Israel since 1967. That list is updated regularly. Importers cannot request preferential treatment for goods originating in such areas.

In practical terms, this means that Israeli certificates of origin indicate the postal codes of the place of manufacture that enable EU Member States’ customs to identify the real origin of products. Only products originating in Israel proper are granted trade preferences under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. In case they come from an Israeli settlement they are denied preferential treatment when imported into the EU.

Monitoring of the correct origin indication by importers is the task of Member State customs authorities. In Ireland, it is the role of Revenue to administer the customs regime for the control of imports and exports and collection of duties and levies on behalf of the EU.

A whole of Government approach is applied to this policy of differentiation. My Department supports other Government Departments by providing guidance and clarification on the policy of differentiation. The Department of Foreign Affairs also ensures that there is information available for the public and companies regarding Ireland's policy on differentiation via the Department's website.