European Union-Israel Relations: Trade, Politics, and Tensions
Understand the treaties, trade, research ties and policy differences shaping EU-Israel relations.
Category pages
- The EU-Israel Association Agreement: Trade and Political FrameworkThe 2000 agreement sets the framework for political dialogue and economic cooperation, including a free-trade area. It also makes respect for human rights and democratic principles an essential element of the agreement.
- Israel in Horizon EuropeIsrael has been associated with Horizon Europe since 2021. Israeli entities can participate in most program actions on terms comparable to entities in EU member states, subject to the program rules and Israel’s contribution.
- EU Origin Labels for Goods from Israeli CommunitiesEU rules require accurate origin information when a product’s origin must be stated. The EU court ruled that covered food products from specified territories must identify the territory and, when applicable, that they come from an Israeli community there.
- EU Aid, Arab NGO Projects and Textbook OversightEU grants are awarded to named projects and recipients under program rules. A separate EU-funded 2021 review assessed Authority textbooks against education benchmarks; it described a mixed record, not proof that EU aid funded textbook content or terrorism.
- EU-Israel Trade: Goods, Services and ResearchIn 2024, two-way EU-Israel goods trade totaled €42.6 billion and services trade totaled €25.6 billion. Machinery and transport equipment led goods trade in both directions; research cooperation runs through Horizon Europe.
- EU Member-State Votes on Israel at the UNEU member states cast separate votes at the UN General Assembly. On 18 September 2024, Czechia and Hungary voted against resolution ES-10/24, 12 EU members abstained and 11 voted in favor.
- The EU and the IHRA Working DefinitionThe European Commission treats the IHRA working definition as a non-legally binding tool in its antisemitism work. The Commission says all 27 EU member states have adopted or endorsed it, while criminal law continues to rest on binding EU and national law.
- Israeli Gas and the EastMed ProposalEastMed is a proposed subsea pipeline route from eastern Mediterranean gas reserves through Cyprus and Crete to mainland Greece. It remains a proposed infrastructure project; EU listing and technical studies do not mean construction is financed or underway.