Israel (Hansard, 23 January 1998)

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1998,Official Report, column 22, when he expects Israel to provide copies of the internal legislation relevant to the implementation of the origin and mutual assistance protocols annexed to the EC/Israel Interim Agreement. [24555]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
In accordance with the agreement at the 28 November EC/Israel Co-operation Committee, Israel has now provided the European Commission with copies of this internal legislation. These are being examined by EC officials.

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Israel's current internal legislation on the application of rules of origin to exported goods(a) incorporates the same definition of the borders of Israel as that accepted by the EC and (b) distinguishes between goods produced within the internationally recognised borders of Israel and those produced in Israeli settlements outside these borders; and how the current legislation differs from that in effect from 1 January 1996 in relation to control mechanisms envisaged in the EC/Israel agreement. [24556]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
The EC/Israel Interim Agreement came into force on 1 January 1996. Israel has since revised its internal legislation to ensure that the conditions for benefiting from preferential rates of duty in the EC are respected. Copies of this legislation are now being examined by EC officials. This internal legislation gives no definition of the borders of Israel nor makes any reference to Israeli settlements. Certain goods produced in the West Bank and Gaza are eligible for preferential access to EU markets under the EC/PLO Interim Association Agreement. No information is available on the internal legislation in effect before 1 January 1996.

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Israel will repay to the EC the import duty lost by mislabelling of Brazilian orange juice as Israeli. [24557]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
Under EC law, it is the importer or his representative, not the exporting country, who is liable for any customs debt which arises where goods imported at a preferential rate are found not to meet the appropriate rules of origin. Any financial assistance provided by the exporting country to the EC importer is therefore a commercial matter between the two parties.