The options that the European Commission is putting on the table on Monday regarding possible restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements "seem more like a token gesture".
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) expressed his views on Monday's topic of discussion upon arrival at the European Council of Ministers meeting on Monday.
Belgium wants concrete legislation on which the each EU Member State can express their views.
On Monday afternoon, the Commission will present a paper to the ministers setting out three possible measures: stricter rules on export licences for goods manufactured in the settlements, high import tariffs to discourage exports, and a partial or total ban on the import of products from the settlements.
As these are merely options rather than legislative texts, the ministers will not be able to vote on them on Monday. However, they can ask the Commission to develop certain proposals in more detail.
"Belgium has been calling for months for options to be put forward so that we can express our views. The Commission has now finally put some options on the table, spanning two pages. This gives the impression that it is more of a token gesture than a genuine desire to make progress," said Prévot on Monday.
"We want concrete proposals on which we can express our views, on which the Member States will have to vote, and which can be submitted to the Foreign Affairs Council without delay," the foreign minister addeed.
The options are therefore "a step in the right direction”, according to the minister, but "far from sufficient to meet the need to be a credible geopolitical player in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, which, unfortunately, the EU has not been for some time".
Illustration image of Israeli settlers. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The European Commission itself leaves open whether the options are trade measures – which must be approved by a qualified majority – or international sanctions, for which unanimity is required, although it appears to suggest that sanctions are involved.
According to Prévot, the "choice of words is not neutral", as it has an impact on how the measures can be adopted. He personally believes that the Commission should propose trade measures.
Prévot also points out that Belgium is "on the verge" of approving an import ban on products from the illegal settlements, but that our country believes measures at European level would have a greater impact.
"Any initiative in this direction will have Belgium’s support," said the minister, who also regrets that Member States have "ideological, historical or economic" reasons for not taking decisions that "might upset Israel". "Whereas in other conflicts we see that changes in behaviour are possible if we apply pressure."
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, also acknowledged that there is disagreement over the legal basis for any measures.
"As a lawyer, I know that where there are two lawyers, there are three opinions," she said. "We are now in the Council building, and its legal service says this is a trade issue."
Kallas declined to say which option she favours. "I am trying to find common ground among the 27 Member States," she said.
"We will see whether certain options gain more support and whether certain Member States change their minds." She added that everyone agrees that the situation in the West Bank is "truly intolerable".
