Neighbourhood policy: conditional approval for Israel to widen its participation in Community programmes

2008-11-07 09:52
The EP Foreign Affairs Committee this Thursday gave its assent for increased participation by Israel in Community programmes as part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. An accompanying resolution links this participation to respect for the commitments given by Israel at the Annapolis summit. Companies and organisations based in the settlements in the occupied territories must not be eligible to take part, say MEPs.
The resolution, drafted by Véronique De Keyser (PES, BE) and adopted by 45 votes to 0 with 4 abstentions, together with the EP assent recommended by the Foreign Affairs Committee, will enable Israel, like other countries in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) to take more part in EU programmes.

Israel is already fully associated in the EU framework programme for research and development and Israeli bodies have taken part in over 600 research projects under the Sixth Framework Programme.

This cooperation with Israel can serve as an example for cooperation with other Neighbourhood Policy partner countries, believe MEPs. Israel is the first ENP country to ask to take part in Community programmes, something which is allowed under its ENP guideline document of May 2004.

The other 16 ENP partners (Algeria, Armenia, Palestinian Authority, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Lebanon, Libya, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Moldova, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine) enjoy the same right to take part in Community programmes.

Israeli settlements in occupied territories not eligible

MEPs call on the Commission and Member States to verify that any participation by Israeli entities in Community programmes complies with EU law and policies.

Measures should be taken to prevent participation in these programmes by Israeli companies and organisations based in the settlements, by tightening up checks on Israeli products imported into the EU under preferential trade rules.

Infringement proceedings should be started if products from the occupied Palestinian territories bearing Israeli labels are exported to the Union.

Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

MEPs remind the parties of the commitments they made in Annapolis to hold negotiations with a view to concluding a peace treaty by the end of 2008, including respect for Israel's right to live in security and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.