Action Alert

Sign the European Citizens Initiative to Stop Trade with Illegal Settlements!

More than 100 civil society organizations launch a drive for 1 million European citizens’ signatures to stop European trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories. Sign the European Citizens Initiative now.

What you are signing?

One million signatures of European citizens to this text can pave the way to stopping business with illegal settlements. The following petition text is the legal text under which the European Commission has recognized that it can pass a law to stop trade with illegal settlements, once for all. For more information about this initiative, please read the press release following the petition.

Official Petition Text

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.

*Note: You will not receive confirmation after signing the petition because your data will be transmitted securely and encrypted to national authorities for validation. Your personal data will be permanently deleted after official validation.

 

#StopTradeWithSettlements Coalition Press Release

 

A new European Citizens Initiative aims to push the EU to
Ban Trade with Illegal Settlements

 

Brussels, 21 February 2022 - Marking the World Day of Social Justice on February 20 a coalition of more than 100 civil society organizations, has launched a European Citizens Initiative (ECI) to stop trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories. 

An ECI is an official instrument for democratic participation of citizens in EU policy making. If an ECI garners one million signatures from EU citizens over 12 months the European Commission must consider and debate the petition’s demands.  This ECI demands EU legislation that will outlaw trade with illegal settlements, anywhere and at all times, including trade with Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestine. The coalition calls on every EU citizen concerned about human rights, social justice and fair trade to sign the petition.

Even though illegal settlements constitute a war crime under international law, the EU allows trade with them. In the case of Israel’s settlements, the UN Security Council has called on states to render them no assistance, and the European Union has repeatedly declared that they constitute a flagrant violation of international law. Nevertheless, the EU continues to trade with them, which has emboldened their ongoing expansion. 

Tom Moerenhout, a legal scholar and one of the initiators of the ECI: 
“The EU has been shamefully inconsistent in its respect of the rule of law. Indeed, the European Commission first rejected registration of our Citizens Initiative but had to change its position after we successfully sued the Commission before the European Court of Justice. The Commission has since acknowledged it can implement a general rule to stop illegal settlement trade that is considered a general measure in respect of international and EU law rather than a sanction.”

This European Citizens Initiative is carried out by the #StopTradeWithSettlements coalition, which includes prominent civil society organizations in the field of human rights, environmental and social justice, trade unions and politicians who unite against profits from annexation and occupation to protect human rights, fair trade, and international peace. 

#StopTradeWithSettlements contacts for media and groups & organizations wishing to join the Initiative:

Tom Moerenhout:
Email: tom@stopsettlements.org
WhatsApp: +32456158365

Aneta Jerska:
Email: aneta@stopsettlements.org
WhatsApp: ​+32483621407

Members of the coalition: About the #StopTradeWithSettlements Coalition: All information in the About Us section of the website.

European/ International: 
Addameer, Al-Haq, Avaaz, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCP), European Legal Support Center, European Trade Union Network for Justice In Palestine, Friends of the Earth-Europe, Gastivists, Human Rights Watch, Rābet, Stop the Wall, SumOfUs

Belgium:
Association Belgo-Palestinienne (ABP), ACV, Broederlijk Delen, CNCD 11.11.11, Coordination Nationale d’Action pour la Paix et la Démocratie (CNAPD), CSC, Le Monde Selon les Femmes, Ligue des Droits Humains, MOC, Made in Illegality, Solidagro, Viva Salud, Vredesactie, 11.11.11 vecht mee tegen onrecht.

France: 
Association France Palestine Solidarité , ATMF, CEDETIM, Chrétiens de la Méditerranée, Confédération paysanne, Ensemble!, Groupe d’amitié islamo-chrétienne, La CGT, La Cimade, Les Jeunes écologistes, Ligue des droits de l’Homme, Mouvement international de la Réconciliation - Branche française (M.R.), Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente, Mrap, Plateforme des ONG Françaises pour la Palestine, Une Autre Voix Juive, Union Juive Française pour la Paix, Union syndicale Solidaires.

Finland: 
Arabikansojen ystävyysseura (AKYS), ICAHD Finland, Psykologien Sosiaalinen Vastuu Ry, Rauhanliitto, Sadankomitea - Committee of 100 in Finland, Suomen Rauhanpuolustajat, Svensk Ungdom / RKP -nuoret, Vihreät nuoret.

Germany: 
AK Nahost Berlin, Deutsch-Palästinensische Gesellschaft, Freunde von Sabeel Deutschland, Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte, Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost, Kairos Palestine Solidaritätsnetz Deutschland, Palästinakomitee Stuttgart, Palästina Spricht, pax christi Diözesanverband Rottenburg-Stuttgart, The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) Deutschland. 

Luxembourg: 
Comité pour une Paix Juste au Proche-Orient (CPJPO).

Ireland: 
Academics For Palestine (AFP), ActionAid Ireland, Centre for Global Education, Christian Aid Ireland, Comhlámh, Financial Justice - Ireland, Gaza Action Ireland (GAI), Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign-IPSC, Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council (IMPIC), Justice For Palestine, Kaíros Íreland, National Union of Students - Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI), PalFest Ireland - Art/ festival Supporting Palestine, SADAKA (The Ireland Palestine Alliance), TCD Apartheid Free, Trade Union Friends of Palestine, Trócaire, Unite, Uplift - People Powered Change.

Italy: 
Amici della Mezza Luna Rossa Palestinese (AMLRP), Arci, Artisti Resistenti, Associazione Amicizia Sardegna Palestina, Associazione di solidarietà internazionale, Assopace Palestina, Casa dei Diritti dei Popoli, Centre Nuovo Modello diSviluppo, Centre Studi Sereno Regis, Comitato Fiorentino “fermiamo la Guerra”, Confederazione dei Comitati di Base - COBAS, COSPE – Together For Change, Costituzione Beni Comuni, Cultura e Libertà, Donne en Nero, Fair watch, FIOM-CGIL, Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso - Onlus, Gazzella, Gruppo Empolese Emisfero Sud (G.E.E.S.), Il Chicco di Senape, Libera, Libere Tutte, Link - Coordinamento Universitario (LINK), Medicina Democratica, Memoria in Movimento, New weapons research group, Parallelo Palestina, Resistenza , Rete Ebrei Contro L’Occupazione, Salaam Ragazzi dell'Olivo, Salaam Ragazzi dell'Olivo - Comitato Di Trieste, Un ponte per, Una Città In Comune, WILPF.

Slovenia:
Center za družbeno raziskovanje (Cedra), Danes je nov dan, Gibanje za pravice Palestincev, Humanitas, Mirovni inštitut, Proja, Sindikat žerjavistov pomorskih dejavnosti (SŽPD), Slovenska filantropija, 3MUHE Pravična trgovina Fair Trade.

Spain:
Confederación Intersindical Galega, ELA Sindikatua, LAB.

Other European:
Betlehems Venner (Denmark), Palestinagrupperna i Sverige (PGS) (Sweden).


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