Israel and the EU

Latest news about relations between the European Union and Israel

The EU and Israel committed themselves to establishing a partnership which provides for close political and mutually beneficial trade and investment relations together with economic, social, financial, civil scientific, technological and cultural cooperation.

The Action Plan concluded with Israel helped give new energy and focus to EU-Israel relations. Its objective is to gradually integrate Israel into European policies and programmes. Every step taken is determined by both sides and the Action Plan is tailor-made to reflect Israel’s interests and priorities as well as its level of development.

There is also, for the first time, a financial assistance element to EU-Israel cooperation - Israel is eligible for €14 million in European Community financial cooperation over the next seven years.

The legal basis for the EU’s relations with Israel is the EU-Israel Association Agreement .

As a result of the Action Plan discussions on the most contentious issue of EU-Israel relations over the years, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have been stepped up.

2007 has seen renewed efforts by the international community, including the revitalization of the quartet, combined with increased support from regional partners for peace and stability in the Middle East. The EU believes that the creation of an independent, viable and democratic Palestinian state is in Israel’s interest.

FACT SHEETS

• Israel: Economy Overview
• Israel Investment Climate 2009
• Starting a business in Israel
• EU Delegation to Israel

LATEST NEWS

EU protests conviction of West Bank activist Tamimi — 22 May 2012, 18:50 CET

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton expressed strong concern Tuesday over the weekend conviction of Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi.

Israel grooms ties with EU member Czech Republic — 17 May 2012, 19:42 CET

Israel and the Czech Republic inked a raft of inter-governmental deals on Thursday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a two-day visit to Prague.

EU castigates Israel over settlements, Palestinians — 14 May 2012, 23:01 CET

EU foreign ministers on Monday issued a harsh critique of Israel, saying the gathering pace of settlement-building, settler extremism and ill-treatment of Palestinians threatens a two-state solution.

EU Palestinian aid projects destroyed by Israel: NGOs — 14 May 2012, 11:36 CET

Israel demolished dozens of Palestinian homes, water cisterns and farm buildings built with European funds in 2011, and over 100 such structures are at risk, aid groups said in a report on Monday.

Ashton discusses Iran talks with Israel PM — 09 May 2012, 17:55 CET

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming nuclear talks between world powers and Iran.

EU asks Israel to let families visit hunger strikers — 08 May 2012, 22:19 CET

The Red Cross and EU on Tuesday expressed concern about several Palestinian prisoners in the advanced stages of a hunger strike, urging Israel to provide them with medical treatment and family visits.

EU asks Israel to let families visit hunger strikers — 08 May 2012, 15:54 CET

Israel must urgently allow Palestinian prisoners who are in the advanced stages of a hunger strike receive all necessary medical treatment and family visits, the European Union said on Tuesday.

Israel security chief 'meets EU brass over Iran talks' — 01 May 2012, 22:59 CET

Israel's National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror is holding talks with European diplomats ahead of the next round of talks over Iran's disputed nuclear programme, officials and reports said on Tuesday.

Russia voices concern over Israeli outposts — 26 April 2012, 10:58 CET

Russia on Thursday joined the United States and the European Union in expressing concern over Israel's decision to legalise three settler outposts in West Bank.

EU urges Israel to reverse settler outpost decision — 25 April 2012, 17:54 CET

The European Union called on Israel on Wednesday to reverse its decision to legalise three settler outposts in occupied Palestinian territory.

EU condemns Palestinians' eviction in east Jerusalem — 21 April 2012, 19:28 CET

The European Union missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah condemned on Saturday the recent eviction of a Palestinian family from its east Jerusalem home, ahead of its inhabitation by Jewish settlers.

Quartet appeals for Palestinian aid funds — 11 April 2012, 22:40 CET

The United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia urged the international community Wednesday to ensure that $1.1 billion in aid goes to the Palestinians this year.

EU urges Gaza's Hamas rulers to end executions — 11 April 2012, 13:55 CET

EU officials in Jerusalem and Ramallah on Wednesday condemned Gaza's Hamas rulers for executing three prisoners and urged the Islamist movement to give up the practice of capital punishment.

Israel, EU agree on aviation deal — 22 March 2012, 20:32 CET

Israel and the European Union on Thursday finalised an aviation agreement aimed at opening up and integrating their markets, a joint statement said.

Palestinians urge donors to cough up promised funds — 22 March 2012, 14:01 CET

Palestinian premier Salam Fayyad on Thursday urged donors to hastily provide promised funds to help the Palestinian Authority weather a financial crisis.

Donors urged to help Palestinians — 21 March 2012, 22:00 CET

Donor nations were under new pressure Wednesday to honour a $1 billion aid pledge to the Palestinians, as the prime minister warned that a fiscal crisis was threatening the government.

EU corrects Ashton speech transcript after Israeli anger — 20 March 2012, 18:13 CET

The European Union issued Tuesday a corrected version of a speech by its foreign policy chief which had angered Israel because it appeared to link a French school shooting and Gaza.

EU's Ashton denies drawing parallel between Toulouse, Gaza — 20 March 2012, 14:27 CET

The European Union denied Tuesday that its foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton drew a parallel between the French Jewish school shooting and the situation in Gaza after Israel slammed her remarks.

Israel sees red over Ashton remarks on France shooting — 20 March 2012, 15:45 CET

Israeli officials on Tuesday condemned remarks by the EU foreign policy chief, accusing her of drawing an inappropriate comparison between a shooting in France and the situation of children in Gaza.

EU helps cash-strapped Palestinians upgrade Gaza crossing — 19 March 2012, 22:10 CET

The EU signed Monday a 35-million-euro deal with the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority to build a waste-water treatment plant in the West Bank and upgrade a vital Gaza border crossing.

Quartet calls on Israelis, Palestinians to end provocations — 12 March 2012, 20:35 CET

The United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations on Monday called on the Palestinians and Israelis to halt "provocative actions" in a bid to end renewed clashes between the two.

Quartet meets as Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify — 12 March 2012, 16:13 CET

Top officials of the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East conflict -- the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations -- held talks Monday amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian clashes.

EU frets at latest Gaza violence — 10 March 2012, 19:17 CET

The European Union on Saturday expressed concern at the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence in three years which left 14 Palestinians dead, calling on both sides to restore calm.

EU's Ashton 'concerned' for Palestinian hunger striker — 18 February 2012, 11:47 CET

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is "following with great concern" the fate of an Islamic Jihad member held by Israel, who has been on a hunger strike since December, a statement said on Saturday.

Iran unveils nuclear progress, US says claims 'hyped — 15 February 2012, 23:20 CET

Iran announced new strides in its nuclear programme on Wednesday in a defiant blow to US and EU pressure to rein in its atomic activities, and amid signs of an increasingly vicious covert war with Israel over the issue.