EU may freeze Association Agreement with Israel, says Politico

Due to the situation around Gaza, the European Union is considering the possibility of suspending its Association Agreement with Israel, Politico writes.

Based on a draft prepared by the European External Action Service (EEAS), there is discussion about even fully terminating the agreement, which, among other things, regulates the trade and economic cooperation between the EU and Israel.

Among the proposed options is partial suspension of the agreement, particularly halting political dialogue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. This would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.

At the same time, suspending the trade part of the agreement, which withdraws Israeli goods privileges in the European market, could be approved by a majority vote in the EU Council, making this option more likely, Politico says.

According to the publication, additional discussions are underway regarding restrictions on Israel’s participation in European scientific and educational programs, such as Erasmus, as well as restrictions on technical cooperation.

The foreign ministers of EU countries are expected to discuss possible measures on July 15. On this day, Israel is scheduled to present a report on the improvement of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.