Brussels: Products linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories continue to enter European markets, raising questions about how they are exported, labeled, and distributed and whether existing European rules are effectively preventing settlement-linked trade. According to Anadolu Agency, a June 2026 report by the Global Echo Litigation Center, titled "Importing Occupation," has drawn fresh attention to these supply chains, highlighting how goods made in Israeli illegal settlements have entered European markets through systems that obscure their actual place of origin.

The report focuses on agricultural exports, including dates, citrus fruits, herbs, fruit, and vegetables, previously identified as common settlement products reaching Europe. To illustrate the trade's operation, Global Echo examined the supply chains of major Israeli exporters like Hadiklaim, Mehadrin Ltd., and Yonatan Packing and Marketing. It traced products from illegal settlement farms through packing facilities and Israeli ports before entering European markets. The report analyzed over 30,000 export documents accompanying more than 6,800 agricultural shipments between October 2017 and February 2026. Of the 5,900 shipments destined for Europe, 17.2% contained settlement products, with the figure rising to 19.2% for the EU specifically.

The report describes a 'supply chain of obfuscation,' a system designed to hide the fact that products come from Israeli settlements, making their actual origin harder to identify. It outlines three main methods: 'hiding in plain sight,' where the actual settlement location is included but listed as Israel's origin; 'sham addresses,' where addresses inside Israel are used instead of the actual production site; and 'mingling,' where illegal settlement produce is mixed with goods grown inside Israel before export.

European countries have adopted different approaches toward products originating from Israeli settlements, ranging from national import bans to calls for stronger EU-wide restrictions. While the European Union has not imposed a bloc-wide ban, proposals for a full or partial import ban, prohibitive tariffs, and an import-licensing system have been discussed. The Netherlands has adopted a national ban, effective Sept. 22, 2026, while Ireland's government approved a similar bill in May 2026. Spain and Belgium have already implemented bans, while France and Sweden push for a common European approach.

Global Echo argues that responsibility is divided between Israeli exporters and European authorities. The report questions the validity of origin certificates, plant health certificates, and organic certifications for products from occupied territories, arguing they may not comply with EU legal requirements. It contends that the current system places the burden of identifying settlement postal codes on European authorities, creating opportunities for settlement products to avoid detection.