News

Israel 2011: efforts to infuse greater dynamism into EU-Israel ties

30-05-2012

Throughout 2011, an effort was made to infuse greater dynamism into EU-Israel relations. The Association Council met in February, and the EU and Israel agreed to further explore the opportunities still offered by the current Action Plan in a number of sectors and policy areas, as well as to pursue “technical talks” in order to identify areas for future potential cooperation. These are some of the conclusions of the report on progress made on implementation of the EU-Israel ENP Action Plan between 1 January and 31 December 2011, released this month by the European Commission. The report includes recommendations on how Israel can step up the implementation of the AP.
 
The report says that overall, Israel made reasonable progress in implementing the Action Plan last year. By January 2012, a full cycle of sub-committees and working groups had been completed, and work under the technical talks had advanced, with preparations underway for a meeting of the Association Committee, last held in May 2008.
 
The Israeli economy's performance was strong but slowed in 2011, the report said, as domestic demand dropped and the worsening global outlook coupled with continued appreciation of the shekel led to a reduction in exports. Social justice protests highlighted concerns about the increased cost of living and the high and rising rate of relative poverty.
 
On the domestic front, a trend that became apparent in 2010 continued with an unprecedented number of potentially discriminatory or even anti-democratic bills being tabled in the Knesset. "The democratic process still ensures that many of these bills do not become law, but their number, and the scant effort made by their proponents to hide the fact that they were intended to benefit or target specific individuals or organisations, is worrying," the report said, adding: "These bills tend to antagonise relations with the Arab minority, complicate the space in which civil society organisations of one side of the political spectrum operate, attempt to rein in the Supreme Court and potentially infringe on the freedom of speech."
 
As one of the largest donors supporting Israeli civil society efforts to promote human rights and conflict resolution, the EU finds itself exposed to some public and government criticism, the report adds.
 
The progress report also says that Israel took some steps towards aligning with European and international norms and standards. On intellectual property rights, it amended the data exclusivity legislation, but fell short of its OECD commitments. For public procurement, Israel decided gradually to phase out the offset requirements under the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), as requested by the EU. Co-operation in science and technology continued successfully.
 
The report highlights the continuing tense situation in the occupied territories. Exercise of the freedom of association and freedom of expression continued to be problematic. However, the Israeli army recently stepped up interventions against settler violence, following increased settler attacks in 2011 compared with 2010, though the overwhelming majority of cases filed with the Israeli police against such attacks were closed without indictment. Israel’s widespread use of administrative detention of Palestinians increased in 2011, the report said, but the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails fell. Palestinian economic and social rights remain hampered by Israeli restrictions on the freedom of movement, especially as regards the economic and physical isolation of the Gaza Strip.
 
The report comes up with a number of recommendations to sustain implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2012, inviting Israel to:
  • Enhance cooperation with the EU on exhausting the opportunities offered by the current Action Plan and on considering possible areas of future co- operation to be addressed when the regional situation allows.
  • Continue to step up its efforts to minimise settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and to bring all perpetrators to justice.
  • Address the excessive use of administrative detention.
  • Step up efforts to reverse the trend of deteriorating conditions for the functioning of a vibrant civil society.
  • Ratify the Second and the Third Protocol to the 2003 UN Convention in Transnational Organised Crime on the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts, components and ammunition.
  • Take the necessary measures to ensure the independence of the Israeli Equal Employment Opportunities Commission.
  • Address the control deficiencies for plants and plant products for export.
  • Sign and ratify the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Rules of Origin.
  • Amend the legislation on intellectual property rights in line with OECD commitments.
  • Take measures to lower carbon emissions, in line with international agreements.
 
The Israel Progress Report is part of a set of documents released by the EU in the framework of its annual assessment of the European Neighbourhood Policy.
 
The package also incudes reports on progress in relations between the EU and its other Neighbours in the South, and a report on the “Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity”, concerning Southern Mediterranean, including a roadmap. (EU Neighbourhood Info) 
 
Read more
 
Israel 2011 ENP Progress Report and memo
 
Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity: Report on activities in 2011 and Roadmap for future action 
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – EU assesses reforms in the Neighbourhood (15-05-12)
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Bilateral Action Plan under review at EU-Israel Association Committee (08-05-12)
 
EU Delegation – Israel
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre webpage – Israel
 
 

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