Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-15
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

Unfortunately, we are seeing the complete destruction of many of the olive trees across the occupied territories but I fully appreciate what the Senators are saying about the objective of the Bill. From a legal perspective, it is important for us to make sure that the Bill aligns with the association agreement so that we can implement it. Again, it comes back to making sure that we have a Bill that we can implement, that is legally enforceable. The decision based on the location of the origin of a given good is a strict legal term and is a benchmark for ascertaining the economic nationality of goods for the purpose of international trade agreements globally. Rules of origin are requirements that are carefully devised between parties to a trade agreement and agreed to in that trade agreement. The concept of origin and rules of origin for the purpose of the EU-Israel trading relationship are laid down in protocol 4 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. To depart from the rules of origin within the association agreement which we are complying with here would render the Bill legally unworkable.
This point was raised at the last committee hearing. We have engaged with other colleagues, in the Netherlands most recently, and they are very clear with us that the rules of origin they are setting out are in line with the association agreement. It is to make sure that we are working to the same agreement. Set out in that, there is a certain percentage and that has to be complied with in terms of where the components, ingredients or items have come from.
It is important to come back to the fact that this now has to be implemented. Customs have to implement this and there have to be strict oversight mechanisms. That is within the EU but also within Customs and Excise here as well. Beyond this legislation, we need to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to ensure the rules of origin are applied appropriately. Where we can, and where checks and balances need to be improved, we should do that as well.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:16+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-15