European Foreign Ministers Back EU Label Directive Protested by Israel

EU foreign ministers backed the directive to explicitly label goods originating in Israeli settlements beyond the country’s 1967 borders, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The European Commission adopted an "interpretive notice" last month on the indication of origin of goods produced in territories under Israeli occupation since 1967. The notice, a clarification of existing EU legislation, explains that the "Made in Israel" label does not apply to goods made in the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

"The Council and the European Union stays united on these technical guidelines of indication of origin, which is in no way a boycott and should in no way be interpreted as one," Mogherini told reporters at a briefing.

Mogherini added the Council continued to engage in the Middle East peace process and "broader" bilateral relations with Israel.

Tel Aviv views Brussels’ adoption of the interpretive guideline as a convenient pretext for boycotts and other protests.

Late in November, Israel announced it was suspending contacts with EU bodies involved in efforts to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.