Key facts
- Nearly 20% of Israeli-labeled food shipments entering the EU originate from settlements in the occupied West Bank or Golan Heights.
- Settlement goods benefit from tariff breaks and organic labels reserved for Israeli-grown produce.
- Methods to disguise origin include mislabeling, fake addresses, and mixing settlement produce with Israeli-grown food.
- Israeli authorities issue plant health certificates for produce from occupied territories, accepted by EU and UK customs.
- The Israeli government allegedly refunds exporters for tariffs on settlement goods.
- Lawsuits are being filed in the UK and France to compel authorities to act.
An investigation has revealed that a significant portion of food products entering the European Union and other European countries from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights are being mislabeled as "Made in Israel." The probe by the Global Echo Litigation Center found that between 2017 and 2026, approximately 17.2% of food shipments to the EU, UK, Norway, and Switzerland originated from these settlements, with the figure rising to 19.2% for EU-bound shipments alone.
These settlement products, including dates, citrus fruits, and tahini, benefit from preferential treatment such as tariff breaks, organic labels, and plant health certificates that are legally reserved for goods grown within Israel itself. The report details methods used to disguise the origin, such as mislabeling the country of origin, using fake addresses within Israel, or mixing settlement produce with Israeli-grown food before export. Even when customs authorities identify settlement goods and charge tariffs, the Israeli government reportedly reimburses exporters, effectively nullifying the tariffs.
International law, including an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice in 2024, considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal. The EU's position has been to trade with Israel but not with these settlements. However, the investigation suggests this distinction is failing at borders. Human Rights Watch stated that such trade supports abuses like ethnic cleansing and apartheid. In response to these findings and ongoing concerns, lawsuits are being filed in the UK and France to compel authorities to take action. The European Commission had previously proposed suspending trade provisions with Israel in September 2025 due to human rights clause breaches, but this has not been adopted by EU governments. Spain, however, has implemented its own national ban on imports from settlements.