The Foreign Ministry, in conjunction with the Israel Export Institute (IEI), has put together a system to protect businesses in Judea and Samaria that may be hurt by the EU’s product labeling program.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzippi Hotovely met with Foreign Ministry Economic Department Director Yaffa Ben Ari as well as IEI Director Ramsey Gabbai and IEI CEO Ofer Zacks and put together the program. 

The conversation found that most of the exporters have not yet felt any economic impact due to the labeling, but those who have report significant losses and the closure of several markets as a result.

During the meeting it was decided that the Foreign Ministry will issue a call to all of the exporters to declare any losses as a result of labeling. Yediot news site reported that the Ministry hopes to create a “round table” which will include exporters from Judea, Samaria and the Golan who have been impacted by the new policy as well as members of the IEI to generate new ideas and plans to help the businesses affected by looking into new markets and providing help with the exports to those new markets.

Both the Ministry and the IEI will help the businesses find new markets for their products. The IEI came out against having special sales events throughout Europe showcasing products from Judea, Samaria and the Golan. 

“The Foreign Ministry will do everything in its power to minimize the impact that the EU policy has on exporters,’ Hotovely said.

“If for example an exporter tells us that his products such as peppers or dates from the Jordan valley, or vegetables and wine from Samaria are no longer being purchased, then the Ministry as well as the IEI will step in to help them find new markets in Japan, India or China, countries that do not label products. We will help the exporter open doors to these countries.

“We will help exporters directly so that the campaign of product labeling will fail. Every exporter that comes to us, we will help them find a tailor made solution fit for them and help them with their export to a new market and marketing their products there.”