The proposal promoted by Spain to suspend the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel has met with strong rejection among several member states, which prevents, for now, the initiative from prospering. Germany and Italy expressed their opposition this Tuesday during the meeting of foreign ministers held in Luxembourg this Tuesday, April 21, while the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, confirmed that the measure does not have the necessary support.
First modification: 04/21/2026 - 18:57 Last modification: 04/21/2026 - 18:59
Opposition from Berlin and Rome complicates any attempt to suspend the agreement, a decision that requires unanimity from all 27 member states. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the proposal as "inappropriate" and defended maintaining dialogue with Israel.
According to Wadephul, Germany considers it necessary to address differences through a "critical and constructive dialogue", while reiterating Berlin's concerns over settler violence and the introduction of the death penalty into Israeli law.
Italy was also against the suspension. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that blocking the trade agreement would not be an effective tool and warned that the measure could affect the Israeli population as a whole. "I don't think blocking a trade agreement is useful, because it would be equivalent to attacking the entire Israeli population," he said.
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However, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia are pressing for measures. And the proposal to suspend the Association Agreement was promoted precisely by these three countries in light of the situation in Gaza, the West Bank and the recent events in Lebanon. The three countries consider that certain political and military decisions by Israel violate international law and human rights, which would justify reviewing the framework of relations with the European bloc.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, asked his European counterparts to send a "strong signal" to Israel. "We have to tell him clearly that he has to change path," he said, while warning of the risk of the European Union losing credibility if it does not adopt measures.
From Ireland, Minister Helen McEntee insisted on the need to act to protect the fundamental values of the bloc, while Belgium was also in favor of at least a partial suspension of the agreement.
Lack of unanimity and alternative options
Complete suspension of the Association Agreement requires unanimity, a scenario currently considered unlikely due to the division between Member States. However, the EU is considering other options that only require a qualified majority, such as limiting certain trade benefits or restricting Israel's participation in European programs.
Kallas herself acknowledged that, although there is not enough support to suspend the agreement, the debate will continue and other measures that may gather the necessary support will be evaluated.
Options being discussed include partial trade restrictions, sanctions against violent Israeli settlers or measures against members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. These initiatives, however, also face political obstacles within the bloc.
A debate that will continue
The discussion about the agreement has significant weight due to the economic relevance of the pact. The European Union is Israel's main trading partner, with an exchange of goods that reached 42.6 billion euros in 2024. The Association Agreement, in force since 2000, regulates political and commercial relations between both parties and contemplates respect for human rights as one of its fundamental principles.
Some countries, such as Denmark or the Netherlands, acknowledged that there is currently no clear majority to modify the agreement, although they did defend increasing political pressure on Israel. France and Sweden, for their part, have proposed limiting trade relations with settlements in the West Bank.
The Luxembourg meeting showed the internal division of the European Union regarding how to respond to the situation in the Middle East. While a group of countries is committed to toughening the relationship with Israel, others defend maintaining dialogue and avoiding measures that could affect the entire population.
Given the lack of consensus, the suspension of the Association Agreement is ruled out for now, although the European Union will keep the debate open and will continue to evaluate possible measures to increase diplomatic pressure.
With Reuters and local media
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