HL Deb 09 December 1997 vol 584 c19WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will use the negotiations for an Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel to achieve free movement of both exports and imports for the Palestinians living in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The EU/Israel Association Agreement was signed on 20 November 1995. Once national ratification procedures have been completed, the EU will then need to take a Concluding Decision to allow the agreement to enter into force. The trade provisions of the agreement came into force on 1 January 1996 under an EC interim agreement.

The UK and its EU partners have pressed Israel to relax all restrictions on free movement of goods and people from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. At the UK's suggestion, the EU has also engaged Israel in a dialogue aimed at finding practical solutions to the problems faced by the Palestinian economy as a result of such restrictions.