Israël/ Territoires palestiniens
« Made in Israël » ou « Made dans les colonies des Territoires Occupés » ?
Dûment reconnus comme étant produits ou fabriqués dans les colonies qu’Israël maintient dans les territoires palestiniens, les biens commercialisés avec l’Europe ne pourraient plus bénéficier des tarifs préférentiels habituellement accordés aux produits israéliens. La solution consistait donc à identifier, par leur étiquetage, les produits qui proviennent des colonies (illégales selon la jurisprudence européenne) et ceux qui arrivent d’Israël. L’Union européenne avait demandé à ses Etats membres de prendre les mesures nécessaires à cet étiquetage. Mais leur mise en œuvre vient d’être reportée, à la demande de Washington pour ne pas gêner les efforts de John Kerry, attelé à la relance du processus de paix entre Israéliens et Palestiniens. L’étiquetage a plusieurs effets : outre l’avantage fiscal qui disparaît pour les produits des colonies, il permet aux consommateurs européens d’acheter ou de ne pas acheter ces produits en toute connaissance de cause.
Ashrawi slams EU decision to delay labeling settlement products
Published Sunday 19/05/2013 (updated) 20/05/2013 18:41
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=597139
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — PLO official Hanan Ashrawi on Sunday condemned the European Union’s decision to delay the labeling of settlement products following a request from US Secretary of State John Kerry.
“This once again brings into question the American role in negotiations as a credible mediator,” Ashrawi said in a statement.
“Rather than providing Israel with immunity, the Obama administration should act responsibly and promote prospects for a just peace and Palestinian self-determination and freedom.”
The senior PLO official said the EU should go further than simply labeling settlement products by enforcing a “serious ban” on their sale.
“The US has used the so-called peace process as an instrument of Israeli impunity; it is about time to end such a policy.”
EU foreign ministers from 27 member states agreed over a year ago to enforce EU legislation and label products originating from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
On February 22, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called on EU foreign ministers to enforce legislation on labeling settlement goods and in April, 13 EU foreign ministers expressed support for the initiative, with the issue currently in discussion.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and senior US officials reportedly asked Ashton to delay enforcement of the proposal, with the Americans saying that it would harm Kerry’s efforts to restart peace talks, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
A senior Israeli official told the Israeli daily that Israel had asked the US administration to intervene to delay the EU’s decision to follow through on labeling settlement products.
The decision to label settlement goods will likely be delayed until June. “The EU decided to give Kerry the time he asked for and see whether the negotiations are resumed,” a European diplomat said, according to Haaretz.
