Notice to importers

Imports from Israel into the EU

2012/C 232/03

By an earlier notice to importers published on 25 January 2005 in the Official Journal of the European Union  (1), operators were reminded that products produced in the Israeli settlements located within the territories brought under Israeli administration since June 1967 are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the EU-Israel Association Agreement (2).

It is recalled that according to the arrangement between the EU and Israel for the implementation of Protocol 4 to the EU-Israel Association Agreement, all movement certificates EUR.1 and invoice declarations issued or made out in Israel bear, as from 1 February 2005, the postal code and the name of the city, village or industrial zone where production conferring originating status has taken place. The same applies to all movement certificates EUR-MED and invoice declarations EUR-MED that may be issued or made out in Israel for export to the EU on the basis of Protocol 4 to the EU-Israel Association Agreement as amended by Decision No 2/2005 of the EU-Israel Association Council (3).

Operators intending to present documentary evidence of origin with a view to securing preferential treatment for products originating in Israel are informed that the preferential treatment will be refused to the goods for which the proof of origin indicates that the production conferring originating status has taken place in a location within the territories brought under Israeli administration since June 1967.

While the procedures in place allow for an adequate application of the arrangement, the way it is implemented in the EU should be streamlined in the light of experience. For that purpose, importers are informed that the up-to-date list of non-eligible locations and their postal codes is from now on available on the Commission's thematic website on the customs union (4). It may also be obtained from the customs authorities of the EU Member States or accessed through the latter’s websites.

Operators are advised to consult the list regularly and at least before lodging a customs declaration for releasing goods for free circulation in support of which they intend to provide a proof of preferential origin issued or made out in Israel.

This notice replaces the 25 January 2005 notice from 13 August 2012.

(1)  OJ C 20, 25.1.2005, p. 2.

(2)  OJ L 147, 21.6.2000, p. 3.

(3)  OJ L 20, 24.1.2006, p. 1.

(4)  http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/technical-arrangement_postal-codes.pdf