By IRNA,
Berlin : Israeli goods produced illegally in occupied West Bank cannot be granted special benefits as part of trade accord between the European Union and Israel, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice ruled Thursday.
It said in its verdict that products originating in the West Bank did not fall within the territorial scope of the European Community-Israel agreement and therefore did not qualify for preferential treatment under that agreement”.
Thursday’s ruling goes back to a German case filed by Brita, a German company that imports drink-makers for sparkling water and fruit syrups from Soda-Club Ltd., an Israeli company based in the West Bank.
Brita told German customs officials its imports originated from Israel and were therefore exempt from import duties.
However German authorities, suspecting that the goods came from the West Bank, asked Israel to clarify the issue.
Israeli customs only confirmed the goods originated in an area under Israeli responsibility and said nothing about the West Bank, leading Germany to impose
customs duties.
Following an appeal, a Hamburg appeal court asked the Court of Justice of the European Union to rule on the politically sensitive matter.
The EU is the second largest trading partner of Israel after the US.
German political observers interpret the latest European court decision also as part of an EU sanction policy against Israel over its controversial settlement policy.
Israel’s ongoing settlement activities are regarded as major blow for EU efforts to achieve a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.