The International Trade committee at the European Parliament unanimously recommended that the European Parliament should consent to a pending agreement between the EU and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In addition, the EU signed a Joint Declaration on EU support to UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and two Contribution Agreements for a total of €45 millions.

The deal which sets out further trade liberalisation for agricultural and fisheries Palestinian products, have been unanimously recommended by the MEPs at the International Trade committee to be signed. Thus, the European Parliament should consent to a pending agreement between the EU and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The draft legislative resolution is scheduled to be voted by plenary during the 26-29 September. The import conditions are valid for a period of 10 years, which can be extended. Following the EP consent, the entry into force of the agreement is foreseen for the beginning of 2012. That would allow Palestinian agricultural products, processed agricultural products, as well as fish and other fisheries products duty-free access to the European market. MEPs hope that the move will support the development of the Palestinian economy by increasing exports into the EU.

On the other hand, Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, and Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy signed a Joint Declaration on EU support to UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the period 2011-2013 with Commissioner General of UNRWA Filippo Grandi. At the same time they also signed two Contribution Agreements for a total of €45 million.

The EU gives an indication of its support to UNRWA’s General Fund through the signature of multi-year Joint Declarations with UNRWA, thus underpinning UNRWA’s ability to provide essential core services to Palestine refugees. The EU’s indicative contribution to UNRWA's General Fund in 2011-2013 would be around €80 million a year, subject to budgetary allocations. Moreover, last August, the approved a new additional assistance package of €115 million for Palestine.

The first of the two Contribution Agreements signed, for €40 million, represents a further contribution to UNRWA's General Fund on top of a Contribution Agreement for the same amount signed earlier this year. The second, for an amount of €5 million, is specifically dedicated to Food Security and is designed to enable the organisation to provide nutrition for the poorest and most vulnerable refugees.