EU foreign ministers to debate settlement trade ban amid legal pressure

EU foreign ministers will debate options for halting imports from settlements on Monday, but divisions mean no decision is imminent.

• The European Commission's paper proposes a partial or total ban on settlement imports, high tariffs, or an import licensing system.
• At least 10 member states argue the EU must end trade with occupied territories to comply with the International Court of Justice's 2024 advisory opinion.
• Former EU trade official Ignacio García Bercero said only a full ban on settlement imports would satisfy the bloc's international legal obligations.
• One senior EU diplomat said securing the options paper from the commission required a difficult battle.