The Swedish government is demanding that the EU introduce extra tariffs and export certificates on goods from illegal settlements in the West Bank, according to reports. In practice, the Swedish proposal would mean an export ban on goods from illegal settlements, sources indicate. The goods primarily affected are agricultural products such as citrus fruits, dates, and spices, reports suggest.
All EU member states have been asked if they want to support Sweden's initiative, but currently only France has joined, according to sources. Sweden and France are pushing for increased tariffs on goods from Israeli settlements, reports indicate. Sweden hopes to gain support from additional countries during the week, sources say. To pass the proposal on tariffs against goods from settlements, a qualified majority in the EU Council of Ministers is required, which is currently lacking, according to reports. The proposal is being advanced partly because it can be decided by a qualified majority of EU countries, sources indicate. Sweden will do everything it can to gather support for this line, reports suggest.
Broader EU measures under consideration face higher political hurdles. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has demanded that the EU go even further and terminate the trade agreement with Israel, according to reports. The Swedish government has previously pushed for freezing the agreement, but currently assesses there is insufficient support to proceed with that, sources indicate. Going further, such as pausing the EU's association agreement with Israel, requires unanimity in the EU that does not yet exist, reports suggest. Sweden warns that more measures could become relevant, according to sources.
The push comes amid a worsening situation in West Bank settlements. The situation has become much worse; the number of settlers has increased and violent settler attacks have risen dramatically this year, reports indicate. The settlements are strategically placed to surround Ramallah, making life difficult for those living there, according to sources.
Sweden has expressed concern about the development. Sweden is concerned about the development; in many areas, things are going in the wrong direction, sources say. There is a large opposition in Israel against the expansive settlement policy, reports indicate. It remains unclear which specific EU countries, besides France, are considering supporting Sweden's tariff proposal, and what the exact timeline is for gathering a qualified majority. The number of additional violent settler attacks this year compared to previous years has not been detailed, and specific measures beyond tariffs that Sweden might consider have not been specified.