Ireland implements EU and UN sanctions.
Sanctions are an important tool to promote the objectives of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) in response to breaches of international law. EU sanctions are always targeted, and seek to bring about a change in the policy or behaviour of the target of the measures.
The various sanctions measures adopted at EU level in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine are targeted and specific, with the aim of weakening Russia’s economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.
In respect of Israel, Ireland has strongly supported the sanctions adopted by the EU against both individuals and entities involved in settler violence. We welcome the political agreement at the May Foreign Affairs Council on the adoption of listings against extremist Israeli settlers and entities under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, and we continue to call for the imposition of further EU sanctions in this context. There are not currently any proposals to sanction Israeli universities in the context of this regime, nor are any such proposals envisaged.
Ireland has consistently called for concrete action in response to egregious breaches of international law by Israel.
At the EU level, Ireland was the first EU Member State, together with Spain, to call for a review of Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in February 2024.
In advance of the April 2026 Foreign Affairs Council, the Foreign Ministers of Ireland, Spain and Slovenia wrote to the HR/VP requesting a discussion of the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the next meeting of Ministers. The Ministers of all three countries called for the suspension of the Association Agreement at that time, and called for action on the proposal by the European Commission to suspend the trade elements of the Association Agreement if agreement cannot be reached on suspension of the Association Agreement as a whole.
At the Foreign Affairs Council on 11 May, Ireland again called on EU partners to re-consider the proposal to suspend the trade-related provisions of the Association Agreement. Ireland also requested that the Commission bring forward a proposal to prohibit trade with Israeli settlements on the basis of EU Common Commercial Policy, and for decision at the June Foreign Affairs Council. I reiterated this request at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) on 22 May.
On 20 May, the Taoiseach wrote a letter to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa to express grave concern ‘regarding the shocking treatment of EU citizens from the Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli authorities’ and regarding the unacceptable behaviour of the Israeli Government Minister for National Security. He called for an urgent discussion at the next EU Council meeting on 18-19 June to consider further measures in response, including an EU ban on importation of products from Israeli settlements and the suspension of parts, if not all, of the EU – Israel Association Agreement.
