The decision to convene the Association Council is an important step in relations between the European Union and Israel.
After not meeting for several years, the European Union's foreign ministers decided to convene the Association Council with Israel soon.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Saar congratulated the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kalla last night for her announcement, at the end of the meeting of EU foreign ministers yesterday (16 December 2024), of an imminent meeting of the Association Council with Israel. In the statement, High Representative Kallas stated that the meeting will take place as soon as possible.
The Association Council is responsible for managing and steering the cooperation agreement between Israel and the European Union. The Council has not convened for several years (the first meeting in more than a decade was held in 2022, part of which was conducted online due to the Covid epidemic).
The convening of the Association Council is an important step in relations between the European Union and Israel, which FM Sa’ar and High Representative Kallas discussed in their meeting in Malta (4 December 2024). The meeting expresses the intention to open a new page of cooperation and constructive dialogue between Israel and the European Union.
Israel views the Council meeting, the convening of which has been avoided for years, as an important means of promoting cooperation in various areas with its largest trading partner, and as a significant platform for presenting its positions on Middle East issues.