EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, including whether to impose additional sanctions over the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The European Commission has prepared a range of options for the consultations, including restrictions and bans on the import of goods from Israeli settlements.
However, it remains unclear whether the 27 EU member states will adopt a common position on the issue. Spain, Ireland and Belgium have called for severe sanctions to be imposed on Israel due to its settlement policy, while others, including Germany, have so far opposed such a step.
If the trade restrictions were classified as foreign policy sanctions, they could only be adopted unanimously.
Otherwise, they would still require a qualified majority, meaning 15 of the 27 member states representing at last 65% of the bloc’s total population would have to back trade restrictions.
Other topics on the agenda include the latest developments in the Iran war as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ministers are expected to agree further sanctions on Russian individuals, entities and organizations, although it has so far been unclear whether an extensive new package containing trade restrictions can come into force.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has been invited to join the EU ministers for informal consultations.