EU proposes trade tariffs and sanctions on Israel
The European Commission has presented its proposed new measures against Israel over its military operations in the Gaza Strip. They include a suspension of trade benefits under the association agreement, meaning import tariffs would apply to certain Israeli products entering the EU.
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced last week during her State of the Union address that she would propose new measures against Israel. These measures are now on paper and will be forwarded to member states for approval.
First, the Commission wants to end Israel’s trade benefits, as stipulated in the 2000 association agreement. This means trade between the EU and Israel would be subject to the tariffs agreed within the World Trade Organization.
Bilateral aid suspension
According to the Commission, this would result in approximately 220 million euros in additional customs duties on Israeli products each year. The EU is Israel's main trading partner.
"The aim is not to punish Israel. The aim is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza"
Second, the EU wants to impose sanctions on violent settlers and far-right ministers, as well as members of the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas. Finally, it will suspend bilateral aid to Israel.
“I want to be very clear. The aim is not to punish Israel. The aim is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, told a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
“We all agree that the situation in Gaza continues to head in the wrong direction. We must leverage the tools at our disposal to pressure the Israeli government into changing course,” she said in a statement.
The proposal on trade requires a qualified majority among member states. The sanctions must be approved unanimously.
Belgian MEP Wouter Beke, of Christian democrats CD&V, posted in favour of the proposals on X. “I have been advocating for this in parliament for some time now,” he said.
“It comes far too late, but it is necessary, especially now that the UN investigative committee concludes that a genocide is taking place in Gaza. Those who wave the flag of international law must also act accordingly, and that is exactly what Von der Leyen is doing now in a particularly challenging context.”
Palestinians flee toward southern Gaza after intensified Israeli attacks and evacuation orders in the northern Gaza Strip, 16 September 2025 © PHOTO RAMEZ HABBOUB / ABACAPRESS.COM
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