Custom Duties Over Goods Produced in Occupied Palestinian Territories

Recently Europe's highest court has rejected preferential EU treatment for products made in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory. By signing this petition, Stand4Palestine-Malta would have a stronger voice in making sure that the Maltese Government is abiding by this ruling that protects fairly Palestinian products against illegal settlement exploitation.

Please consider that the court's decision will affect a range of products, including foodstuffs, cosmetics, medications, textiles, plastics and metal products, many of which are manufactured using cheaper Palestinian labor.

"A penny to the settlements is a penny against peace"

This is the letter written by members of Stand4Palestine-Malta to the Commissioner of Customs and Minister of Finance:

"Dear Sir,

I am writing to inform you about a recent decision of the European Court of Justice concerning duties to be levied on Israeli goods produced in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

On the 25th February 2010 the European Court of Justice (case no. C-386/08, Brita GmbH v. Hauptzollamt Hamburg-Hafen) ruled that products originating from Israel's colonial settlements built on Occupied Palestinian Territory do not qualify for preferential customs treatment under the EC-Israel trade agreement, which was signed in Brussels on 20 November 1995.

For decades Israel has unlawfully occupied territory belonging to the Palestinian Authority and has built settlements in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention. In case no. C-386/08 the European Court of Justice had to decide whether Israeli goods produced in Occupied Palestinian Territories enjoy the same tax privileges similar to goods produced in Israel. The ECJ ruled that Israeli products originating in the West Bank fall outside the territorial scope of EC-Israeli agreement since Israels Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and consequently Israel does not enjoy sovereign rights over Occupied Territories.

This judgment is important for Malta since we form part of the EU Customs Union. Malta should distinguish between goods produced in Israel and those in produced in Occupied Palestinian Territories and levy taxes on importation of such goods as directed by the EU Commission.

In order to facilitate your work in identifying which products are produced in Occupied Palestinian Territories I am attaching a list of companies that were operating in these territories in 2008."

Stand4Palestine-Malta

(if anyone is interested in the list of companies operating in the
Palestinian occupied territories, please do not hesitate to send us an email on: [email protected]

If you agree with all the above, plese sign your name and be part of the international movement that promotes peace and justice with the Palestinians.