ECJ holds hearing on labelling products manufactured in West Bank

On June 14, the Advocate General will present his opinion. The Court will then take that opinion into account before giving its decision at a later date, according to a statement.

Palestinian worker carries a bag of salt at a factory near Jericho, West Bank, 2018.  (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
Palestinian worker carries a bag of salt at a factory near Jericho, West Bank, 2018.
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) held a hearing on Tuesday in a case against the discriminatory labeling of Israeli products in which the French Minister of Economics and Finance in 2016 stated that products from the Golan Heights or West Bank have to be labeled as coming from Israeli settlements.
François-Henri Briard, Supreme Court Attorney of France argued at the hearing that the insistence on applying the label of "Israeli settlements" goes beyond the law, which was not designed for political labeling but rather for fair and clear information for consumers.
Briard additionally argued that this would be the case to deal with for products from over 100 different disputed territories.
Representatives from Sweden, Ireland and France, on the other hand, argued in favor of the product labeling.
"Of the hundreds of territorial disputes around the world, it is Israeli businesses alone that find themselves targeted by these unnecessary and politicized labeling requirements," said Executive Director of The Lawfare Project Brooke Goldstein. The Lawfare Project, along with Psagot, were represented by French Supreme Court law firm Cabinet Briard and challenged the labeling request.
"The importance of the Court's decision shouldn't be understated: it will either end this double standard against Israel or legitimize it across Europe," Goldstein continued. "I hope the Court grasps this opportunity to end the double standard."