McEntee to push for EU ban on trade with Israel's illegal settlements during Brussels gathering

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee will attend a high-level meeting in Brussels today where EU members will discuss the impact of conflicts in the Middle East on trade and supply chains.

McEntee is also to urge fellow trade ministers from across the bloc to support Ireland’s stance for an EU-wide ban on trade with illegal settlements.

In a statement ahead of the meeting, McEntee strongly criticised the “appalling” humanitarian situation in Gaza and violence in the West Bank.

“We are seeing egregious breaches of human rights and international law by Israel on a daily basis,” the Fine Gael minister said.

McEntee confirmed she will call for “an EU-level ban on trade with illegal settlements,” adding that the EU “must send a strong signal that this behaviour is unacceptable and must stop.”

The push comes amid heightened outcry this week after an Israeli minister taunted activists from the Gaza aid flotilla, many of whom are EU citizens.

On Thursday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he believed the footage had “accelerated” a desire for a stronger response from EU leaders.

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It is the final such meeting before Ireland takes over the presidency of the EU Council in July. At the end of the meeting, Cyprus will formally hand over the chair to McEntee, representing Ireland.

The meeting will also focus on the EU-US ‘Turnberry deal’ in the Foreign Affairs Council on Trade gathering.

McEntee stressed the importance of expanding the EU’s network of free trade agreements to diversify supply chains and create new export opportunities for European businesses. “The EU’s ambitious suite of FTAs is integral as we look to diversify our critical supply chains and open up export markets for European companies,” she said. She added that trade will play a central role in the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, which will help guide Ireland’s EU presidency over the next six months.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, McEntee said ministers would discuss how the EU can strengthen economic resilience and reduce strategic risks linked to regional instability.

The minister said she remains “deeply concerned” about the conflicts in the Middle East and Gulf region and hopes current ceasefires will hold and lead to longer term peace.

McEntee added that the recent agreement between the EU and Donald Trump’s White House on the Turnberry deal – which seeks to reduce the risk posed by Trump’s previous painful tariff threats – was an important step for transatlantic trade relations.

“Stability in the EU-US trade relationship benefits us all,” she said.

“This will be a priority for me as chair of the FAC Trade Council from July. Stable EU-US trade relations are good for both the European and US economies and help to deliver jobs and economic growth.”

She said ministers would discuss how the EU can strengthen economic resilience and reduce strategic risks linked to regional instability.

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