Italy and Israel have signed a broad agreement defining their future economic, agricultural, scientific, technological and cultural relationships and ways to deal with problems arising for Israel’s agricultural exports from the impending admission of Spain and Portugal into the European Economic Community (EEC).
The far-reaching accord was finalized during the two-day meeting here last week of a joint commission of the two nations headed by Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Yehuda Ben-Meir and Bruno Corti, the Italian Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs. The commission, established by a 1954 agreement, had not met for the past 20 years. From now on, however, it will convene annually. The next meeting is scheduled to be held in Jerusalem in 1984.
The agreement contains provisions aimed against Arab “blacklists” which are an element of the Arab League boycott of Israel. It emphasizes the importance of “free, non-discriminatory trade between countries” and pledges both nations “to deepen their efforts to eliminate any cause or obstacle which might interfere with or harm economic relations” between them.
Another essential provision commits the two countries to sign an agreement to encourage and protect the investments of each in the other’s territory. As a first step, Italy has undertaken to send a delegation of key industrialists and businessmen, headed by an official person, to the Isratech Fair in Jerusalem next May. The fair will feature Israel’s technological advances of the past decade.
Italy will also participate in the Jerusalem international economic conference which is expected to be attended by industrialists from all parts of the world.
Existing agreements for scientific research and cooperation will be expanded. An Italian delegation will visit Israel next year to discuss the creation of a permanent bilateral “instrument to encourage and facilitate” scientific cooperation.
The two countries will also study the creation of a joint fund for agricultural research and development. The calendar limitations on Israeli agricultural exports to Italy will be reviewed with the aim of extending the dates.
DISCUSSIONS TO FIND ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS
Italy has also formally notified Israel of its willingness to convene a Council of Cooperation between Israel and the EEC countries during the first quarter of 1984. Such a council exists and was last convened in 1980 but suspended because of the Lebanese war.
Italy has promised that prior to approving the admission of Spain and Portugal to the Common Market it will make sure that intensive discussions are held among the Mediterranean countries to find acceptable solutions to problems that face Israeli agriculture exports. The Israelis are particularly concerned over Spanish competition as an exporter of agricultural products to the EEC countries, particularly citrus.
COMMISSION ON TOURISM TO MEET
Both countries agreed to convene their joint commission on tourism within the next six months. The commission was established in 1973 but has never met. The purpose will be to examine ways to increase the flow of tourists between Israel and Italy. Last year, 170,000 Israelis visited Italy, mainly Sicily and 40,000 Italian tourists visited Israel.
Under the new agreement, Italy and Israel will seek to generate joint tourism from third countries, particularly from the Americas and Far East. To do this, the national airlines of Italy and Israel — Alitalia and El Al–will cooperate. Alitalia presently brings large numbers of tourists to the Mediterranean region from Japan and El Al has its most important markets in North and South America.
Finally, Italy and Israel agreed to the joint production of films. During his stay here, Ben-Meir released current figures on trade. In 1982, Italy’s exports to Israel amounted to $442 million against Israeli exports to Italy of $202 million. This represented a 12.2 percent increase in trade over 1981 and a doubling of total trade between the countries since 1975. Under the new agreement, efforts will be made to narrow the trade gap.
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