Despite Israeli dissatisfaction with some of its provisions, a new trade accord between Israel and the European Union is expected to be signed next week when E.U. foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg, according to E.U. officials.
Before the Luxembourg meeting, Israeli officials will hold a special meeting to approve the new accord, which replaces a 1975 trade and cooperation agreement between Israel and what was then known as the Common Market.
Negotiations on an updated accord between Israel and the European Union began in January 1994 after E.U. leaders decided to “reward” Israel for signing the Palestinian self-rule accords with the Palestine Liberation Organization in September 1993.
According to sources within the European Union, the new accord will give Israel greater access to E.U. markets and will permit Israel to participate in European research and development projects.
In addition to the economic portions of the accord, the agreement will also crete a formal framework for ongoing political dialogue between Israel and the European Union.
The accord has encountered opposition from Israel’s agriculture and trade ministers, which are said to be unhappy with the benefits it offers.
The accord will give Israel observer status in the European Union’s Science and Research Committee and will allow Israel to present ideas for research and development projects to the committee, though it will have no voting rights within the committee.
In addition, Israeli trade officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the limited access granted to European markets under the new accord for Israel’s agricultural exports.
During the negotiations, Israel requested full access for its farm exports, but this was rejected by some E.U. countries that were eager to protect their own agricultural markets.
The European Union is Israel’s main trading partner, but Israel has been eager to reduce its $7.5 billion trade deficit with the 15-member bloc.
Despite Israeli reservations about the new accord, E.U. officials are adopting a sort of take-it-or-leave-it attitude.
“The European Executive Commission, which has negotiated the accord in the name of the 15 E.U. member states, has proposed to increase Israel’s import quotas for its farm products, but it can’t do more,” a commission spokesman said this week. “Our offer is definitive, and it’s up to the Israeli government to decide.”
Israel is not the only Mediterranean country negotiating accord with the European Union.
Tunisia signed an agreement last month,negotiations are currently under way with Morocco and Egypt and talks are scheduled to begin soon with Jordan and Lebanon.
The new accords are part of a new southern policy adopted in December by E.U. officials, who envisioned the creation of a free-trade zone within the next 12 years among countries throughout the Mediterranean basin, including Israel.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
