Israel (Hansard, 13 July 2000)

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account Her Majesty's Government have taken, in connection with imports from Israel under preferences, of public communications by the Government of Israel stating that Israel issues certificates of origin according to its own definition of territoriality. [130178]

§ Mr. Vaz
The European Commission is responsible for enforcing the trade provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, under which Israel exports goods to the EU. The UK is currently participating in a Commission-led verification exercise in respect of goods imported from Israel. In this context the UK is aware of the communications made by the Israelis.

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures that do not rely on Israel's co-operation the Government have taken as a High Contracting Party to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure(a) that neither Britain's nor the European Community's own resources accrue to the benefit of Israel's illegal settlements and (b) that Israel's application of its own definition of territoriality in respect of its trade agreements with the EC does not persist under the EC-Israel Association Agreement that has just come into effect. [130179]

§ Mr. Vaz
The UK is not aware of any circumstances in which the UK or the EU's resources might accrue to the benefit of Israel's illegal settlements.
The European Commission will continue to enforce the trade provisions of the new EU-Israel Association Agreement and is currently conducting a verification exercise to confirm the origin of certain products exported from Israel.

§ Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Britain has taken to ensure that the European Community ensures that Israel conducts its preferential trade relations with the Community in a manner that accords with its agreements with the EC and with the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 in respect of products from settlements located in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967. [130197]

§ Mr. Vaz
The UK is participating in a European Community wide verification exercise initiated by the European Commission to confirm the origin of certain products exported from Israel.