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Occupation magazine - Settlements Home page  back Print  Send To friend EU Parliament Members call for marking goods from settlements World Council of Churches/Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme November 30, 2010 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FNONSGML+WDECL+P7-DCL-2010-0064+0+DOC+PDF+V0%2F%2FEN&language=EN The European Parliament may soon issue a statement calling for companies profiting by selling goods from illegal Israeli settlements to label their goods more accurately. Campaigners are asking European Citizens to contact their MEPs and asking them to sign Written Declaration 0064/2010 (see below). This is a crucial step in pressuring companies to make their relationship with the occupation more transparent. You may wish to support this campaign by contacting your MEP or encouraging your own contacts to do the same. As I understand it, Written Declarations, if half the MEPs sign them, must be taken into consideration by member states. Half the total MEPs must sign the declaration for it to be binding. Your MEPs` names and details can be found easily on the internet, specifically here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/geoSearch.do;jsessionid=1A28AA3C62196EC12ED7EDAF842B3DF7.node2?language=en For a copy of the written declaration, Google: Written Declaration 0064/2010 or click here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FNONSGML+WDECL+P7-DCL-2010-0064+0+DOC+PDF+V0%2F%2FEN&language=EN We wish you all the best in this Advent season. Best wishes, EAPPI Communications Officer Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (www.eappi.org) Office: +972 2 6289402 (ext. 109) Orange: +972 54 7379766 Jawwal: +970 59 7027468 For updates from EAPPI, please join our Facebook group Find EAPPI fact sheets on our website. World Council of Churches P.O. Box 741 91000 Jerusalem ========================================== EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2009 - 2014 WRITTEN DECLARATION On the labelling of goods from the Occupied Palestinian Territories pursuant to Rule 123 of the Rules of Procedure Presented by: Arlene McCarthy, H�l�ne Flautre, Sirpa Pietik�inen, Eva-Britt Svensson ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Written declaration on the labelling of goods from the Occupied Palestinian Territories The European Parliament, � having regard to Rule 123 of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas European consumers have a right to accurate labelling on the origin of products they purchase, without the risk of being misled, B. whereas there is concern that goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) may be sold in Europe labelled as `Produce of the West Bank` or as produce of Israel, C. whereas in Case C-386/08 the European Court of Justice found that produce from Israeli settlements in the OPT was neither produce of Israel nor Palestinian produce for the purposes of reduced tariffs under trade agreements, D. whereas clear labelling to differentiate between goods from Israeli settlements in the OPT and Palestinian products is an important element of consumer choice, E. whereas retailers in some Member States have introduced labelling which distinguishes between Israeli settlement produce and Palestinian produce from the OPT, 1. Calls on the Commission to produce guidance on the labelling of goods from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, ensuring that Israeli settlement products are clearly distinguished from Israeli goods and Palestinian products; 2. Calls on Member States to ensure, through their enforcement of EU labelling law, that Israeli settlement products are clearly distinguished from Israeli goods and Palestinian products; 3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Parliaments of the Member States. Links to the latest articles in this section Palestinian Farmer’s Land Flooded With Sewage Jewish Democratic congressman visiting W. Bank blasts treatment of Palestinians Israel Plans to Seize Over 600 Dunams of Land in Nablus and Jerusalem