By Christofer Fjellner, Marek Siwiec, Sarah Ludford, and Charles Tannock.

The European Parliament was this week to have considered a practical issue for European citizens: a trade agreement that would facilitate the import of high-quality and affordable medicines into Europe. Many might reasonably think that the Parliament would be eager to ratify an agreement with clear benefits for European patients; the agreement has, instead, been politicized and the legislative process stalled for the past two years.

The protocol agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA) with Israel is a technical trade agreement that would simplify Israeli exports into Europe. At present, the only products covered by the agreement are pharmaceuticals. If this ACAA were approved, EU patients would have access to a broader range of essential generic and branded medicines, and European pharmaceutical manufacturers would gain access to new markets. ACAA would, likewise, reduce the regulatory burden of certification procedures for national competent authorities, and translate into cost savings for stretched state healthcare budgets. These savings could be passed down to consumers by pharmaceutical firms, which would no longer be hampered by unnecessary conformity-assessment procedures. 

EFI Chairman Marek Siwiec MEP spoke this weekend at the AJC Global Forum in Washington DC on recent trends in EU Israel Relations during and experts panel and elaborated on the work being carried out by the European Friends of Israel.

The evening before, he spoke about EU-Israel relations and their challenges during a working dinner with activists and NGO's members from accross the world.

American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum is the global Jewish advocacy event of the year. With participants from 50 countries and across the United States, It hosted The Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Canada, Cyprus and Germany. 

EFI's Chairman, Marek Siwiec MEP wrote on February 17th to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his concerns over the destruction of ancient wells in the West Bank.

These wells were rebuilt by a Polish charity organization.

MP Netanyahu replied that these well were rebuilt without a legal permit, and as such should have been demolished. 

The exchange of letters can be found here: