EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic revealed details of the proposed sanctions on Israel during a joint press conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
"The Israeli government's attack on Gaza is a new escalation of the war and will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis," Kallas said.
She stated that she had proposed a package of sanctions targeting Israeli ministers who support extremism, settlers who support violence, and institutions that support extremism and violence.
She added, "I want to be absolutely clear: The goal is not to punish Israel, but to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza."
"The European Commission has approved a proposal to partially suspend trade privileges," Kallas continued.
In turn, Sefcovic stated that as part of the proposals, the basic provisions relating to trade within the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement on Relations with Israel would be suspended.
He added, "The proposed suspension targets the preferential treatment granted to Israel. This includes the freedom of movement of goods, the right to establish businesses, the provision of services, public procurement, competition, and intellectual property rights."
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He explained that this means that imports from Israel to the European Union will lose their right to preferential access to the EU market and will be subject to customs duties similar to those applied to other countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the EU.
Sefcovic expressed his belief that this measure was appropriate and proportionate in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He pointed out that the decision on this proposal would be taken by a qualified majority in the European Council.
Sefcovic noted that total trade in goods between the European Union and Israel reached €42.6 billion in 2024, making the EU Israel's largest trading partner.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 64,964 Palestinians dead and 165,312 injured, most of them children and women, and a famine that has claimed the lives of 428 Palestinians, including 146 children.
