Belgium bans the import of products from Israeli settlements
The Belgian federal government reached an important milestone this July 18. It has officially adopted a royal decree that prohibits the import into Belgian territory of products originating from Israeli settlements located in the occupied territories.
This decision marks a notable shift in Belgium's trade policy. Until now, the status of these products had been the subject of numerous legal and diplomatic debates. With this new measure, the government seeks to clarify its position regarding trade with these specific areas.
Amnesty International has reacted to this announcement. While it welcomes the initiative, it emphasizes that it is a "timid and late" step. For the organization, this ban is necessary to uphold international law, but it comes after several years of intense political discussion.
This measure takes place within a complex international context. Belgium thus joins other European voices that wish to signal their disagreement with the policy of colonization. The royal decree will now have to be enforced by Belgian customs services across the entire national territory.
In the future, Belgian companies will need to verify the exact origin of their goods to comply with this new rule. The federal government continues to monitor the situation in the Middle East in order to adapt its diplomatic and economic decisions.