HC Deb 14 July 1998 vol 316 cc153-4W
Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps will be taken by the Commission to implement the recommendations of its report on Implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement between the European Community and Israel. [50238]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The 29 June General Affairs Council encouraged the European Commission to pursue talks with Israel on the basis of its Communication of 13 May 1998. It noted the Commission's intention to report back on these talks and stressed the need for them to lead to concrete results.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to warn importers of the penalties they are likely to incur if they import goods marked "Made in Israel" that originate in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, Gaza or the Golan Heights. [50237]

Mr. Doug Henderson

HMC&E issued a notice to importers in January 1998 (VAT Notice No. 4 Item 12) warning that the European Commission had expressed doubts about the validity of all preference certificates issued in Israel (OJ C338, 8 November 1997). The Commission has subsequently published a Communication to the Council on the implementation of the EC/Israel Interim Agreement, which covered inter alia the issues mentioned by the hon. Member. The Commission hopes that its contacts with the Israelis will lead to progress which will allow the Commission to withdraw their earlier notice to importers.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the General Affairs Council of the European Community took at its meeting on 29 June in respect of the Commission report, Implementation of the Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related matters between the European Community and Israel. [50239]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The General Affairs Council on 29 June adopted conclusions on the issues raised in the two Commission Communications to the Council on EC/Israel trade and regional cumulation of origin. The text of these conclusions appear in the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) on 2 July 1998,Official Report, columns 274–76.