EU ends duties on Gaza, West Bank farm, fish goods

"BRUSSELS, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The European Union will scrap import duties for up to 10 years on farm and fish products from Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, it said on Wednesday, a move aimed at helping an economy weakened by conflict with Israel.

The deal affects small volumes of trade. EU imports from Gaza and the West Bank were worth 6.1 million euros ($8.02 million) in 2009 and were mostly early potatoes, olive oil and seeds such as soya and sunflower seeds, according to EU data.

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The deal aims to benefit only Palestinian products, the Commission said -- a reference to the thorny issue of farm goods from Jewish settlements in the disputed territories, which previously benefited from EU concessions to Palestine.

"We are aware that the true origin is a potential problem, so we shall be watching that closely," said Commission spokesman Roger Waite."

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6BL1HJ20101222

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This is an excellent development for Palestinian olive oil producers in particular. A couple of supermarket brands of Palestinian olive oil have been established in the UK during the past year, and its hoped that this development may make it easier to supply the product to markets across Europe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/5795355/Fair-trade-organic-Palestinian-olive-oil-ticks-all-the-boxes.html

"Fair-trade, organic Palestinian olive oil 'ticks all the boxes'
Is this the most ethical product ever produced?

This weekend Sainsbury's will start selling an extra-virgin olive oil that is not only organic and fair-trade, but also produced by beleaguered farmers in Palestine.

The supermarket said it "ticked an awful lot of boxes" for ethical consumers, who were keener than ever to know the provenance of their food and to ensure producers were receiving a decent wage."

Two days after Israeli authorities approved the transport of Gaza strawberries into the West Bank, Dutch officials behind the project said foot dragging had delayed the first delivery.

The PA Ministry of Agriculture said that it expected to receive a full list of items to be permitted out of Gaza on 30 December, with a wider scale export expected in the new year.

Organizers of a Dutch government program said they had already received approval for the transfer of Gaza strawberries and carnations into the West Bank for Christmas.

"Unfortunately, the Israeli informed us yesterday evening that it is not going to be today and we are currently working on this issue if it can be delivered on Sunday," spokesman for the Dutch consulate in Jerusalem Zaid Sharia told Ma'an.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=344546