Officially, the EU opposes annexation and considers illegal settlements in occupied territories an obstacle to international peace and stability.

However, as with many other cases, what the EU states is far from its practices. Trade is still allowed between the European Single Market and these settlements, making their existence not only viable, but economically profitable for the occupiers.

As war is waged in Ukraine, and other tragically less popular conflicts continue to rage in Palestine, Yemen, Mali and across the world, it is imperative that our movement does not support Europe’s legacy of hypocrisy.

This is why DiEM25 supports the creation of a law that will apply to EU relations with occupied territories anywhere, sending a powerful message around the world that the EU will no longer reward territorial aggression with trade and profits.

DiEM25 supports the Stop Trade With Settlements campaign and urges you to sign the below ECI:

Ensuring Common Commercial Policy conformity with EU Treaties and compliance with international law.

We seek to regulate commercial transactions with Occupant’s entities based or operating in occupied territories by withholding products originating from there from entering the EU market. The Commission, as Guardian of the Treaties, has to ensure consistency of Union’s policy and compliance with fundamental rights and international law in all areas of EU law, including CCP. It must propose legal acts based on the Common Commercial Policy to prevent EU legal entities from both importing products originating in illegal settlements in occupied territories and exporting to such territories, in order to preserve the integrity of the internal market and to not aid or assist the maintenance of such unlawful situations. The initiative thus invites the Commission to submit a proposal for a legal act under the Common Commercial Policy which is general in nature and does not target a specific country or territory.