G/AG/N/ISR/54  
 
27 April 2016  
(16-2345)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
The following submission, dated 21 April 2016, is be ing circulated at the request of the Delegation 
of Israel . The notification concerns new or modified domestic support measures exempt from 
reduction ( Table DS:2 ). 
 
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 G/AG/N/ISR/54 
 
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  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: ISRAEL 
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement: 
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction 
(1) Full title of measure: Support to encourage Israeli workers in agriculture.  
(2) Domestic legislation reference: Government resolution 147 dated 12.05.09.  
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria: 
The government of Israel established a payment programme for producers employing 
Israeli workers.  The aim of the new programme is to encourage the participation of 1,500 Israeli workers in 
agriculture. 
 Payment according to the programme is decoupled from the type or volume of production 
and is based on the eligibility to employ foreign workers on the fixed base period 2012.  
 The programme conforms to the general criteria of Paragraph 1 of Annex 2 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture: 
 a. the programme is provided through a pub licly funded government programme not 
involving transfers from consumers; and 
b. the programme did not have the effect of providing price support to producers. 
In addition, it meets the policy specific criter ia of Paragraph 6 of Annex 2 of the Agreement 
on Agriculture: 
 
a. the eligibility for payment is based on the status recognized in 2012 by the Government 
of Israel.  
b. The payment is not based on the type or volume of production. 
c. Payment is based on the status as an agricultural employer and no production is 
required in order to receive payments. 
(4) Cost of measure: Yearly payment of about ILS 8 million.  
(5) Date of entry into effect:  06.05.2012. 
(6) Period of application: 3 years. 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)): All agricultural 
produce. G/AG/N/ISR/54 
 
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  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: ISRAEL 
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement: 
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction 
(1) Full title of measure: Payments under environmental programme for the Jewish 
Sabbatical (Shmita) year 5775. 
(2) Domestic legislation reference: Government resolution 1657 dated 01.06.14. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:  
The government of Israel established a payment programme for producers practicing the 
Jewish Sabbatical (Shmita) year 5775.  
The aim of the programme is to support agricultural producers leaving their lands fallow as 
part of the agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah.  
Payment according to the programme is conditional on fully suspending all agricultural 
activity for the period mandated by the Torah.  
The programme conforms to the general criteria of Paragraph 1 of Annex 2 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture:  a. the programme is provided through a pub licly funded government programme not 
involving transfers from consumers; and 
b. the programme did not have the effect of providing price support to producers. 
In addition, it meets the policy specific cr iteria of Paragraph 12 of Annex 2 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture: 
 a. the eligibility for payment is clearly defined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural 
Development (procedure document of 15.5.14 can be found on the Ministry's Website) 
and it is determined by a formal declaration signed by the local Rabbi. 
b. The amount of payment is limited to the lowe st of: calculated normative income for the 
crop, 2011-2013 average chargeable income of the fallowed land, or 
2011-2013 average income of the growers on this land. 
(4) Cost of measure: Total of up to ILS 79 million.  
(5) Date of entry into effect: 01.06.2014.  
(6) Period of application: Jewish year 5775 (25 September 2014 – 13 September 2015) and 
any pending payments thereafter. 
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)): All crops (fruits, 
vegetables, etc.).  
 
 
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