NEW YORK CITY: A group of UN experts said on Monday that the suspension of an EU-Israel trade deal would be the “minimum required” step from the EU to comply with its obligations under international law, amid the continuing escalation of human rights violations by Israel.
The call came ahead of a meeting of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday at which the bloc was expected to consider whether to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has granted Israel preferential access to European markets since 2000.
“Europe faces a clear moral test,” the experts said in a statement, adding that the EU “cannot credibly claim to uphold human rights while sustaining preferential trade with a state” accused by several international bodies of serious violations including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The statement was endorsed by more than 20 independent UN experts, including Francesca Albanese, Farida Shaheed, Tlaleng Mofokeng and Ben Saul, along with members of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and other mandate holders.
The experts highlighted Article 2 of the agreement between EU and Israel, which defines respect for human rights and democratic principles as an “essential element.” As a result, they argued, persistent alleged breaches by Israel should have already triggered a suspension of the deal.
They cited rulings by the International Court of Justice, which found a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and ordered Israel to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and prevent irreparable harm. The experts said those orders have been disregarded repeatedly.
They referenced a July 2024 advisory opinion by the court that found Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory to be unlawful and said states must avoid economic relations that help to sustain this situation.
The experts also highlighted arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“As Israel’s largest trading partner, the EU grants Israeli goods preferential access, including tariff-free entry for key agricultural products,” the experts said in their statement, arguing that the continuation of such ties could undermine the bloc’s legal obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions.
They added that over the past two-and-a-half years, the EU had failed to take effective action despite “escalating atrocities,” citing UN findings of widespread abuses by Israel including forced displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and restrictions on humanitarian aid.
They also condemned the recent introduction by Israeli authorities of a death penalty law for terrorism offenses that effectively applies solely to Palestinians, describing it as discriminatory and in violation of international law.
Meanwhile, a European Citizens’ Initiative petition launched in January calling for the full suspension of the trade deal has attracted more than 1.1 million signatures, reflecting the growing public pressure within the EU.
“In light of the gravity and scale of the violations documented, full suspension is not a matter of political discretion but a legal imperative,” the UN experts said.
“It represents the minimum measure required to align EU actions with international law.”
