Is it published to encourage Israel and the Palestinians to resume negotiations? I find that very difficult to believe since the EU knows as well as I do that the Palestinians gain much more by doing nothing. Labelling is a very good example for that. It will only strengthen their refusal to directly negotiate with Israel. 

Perhaps, as my European counterparts claim, it's a measure taken to protect the European consumer and has nothing to do with politics?  Being a strong supporter of consumer protection I fail to understand why such a decision was taken by Foreign Ministers.  Aren't they involved with political decisions? Isn't this a political decision, as the letter by 16 FM to Mogherini implies?

Some explain to me it was done to encourage trade between Israel and Europe. Now that the threat of buying settlement products is removed due to the clarity of labelling, trade will surely be enhanced. The well-known truth is that the BDS movement and its supporters are no longer satisfied with boycotting settlement products. They are already calling for boycotting Israel. All of Israel. Unfortunately labelling will be high jacked by BDS, portrayed as a huge victory and encouragement to that movement.