A/HRC/25/39 31. In addition, on 22 June 2013, the European Commission had published implementing regulation OJEU L-170 on marketing standards that excluded fresh fruit and vegetables in the occupied territories from the possibility of being certified by Israeli authorities. The European Union also expressed its belief that the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, endorsed by the Human Rights Council, had to be applied globally, and called on European companies to implement the Guiding Principles in all circumstances, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Ireland 32. In a note submitted by the Permanent Mission of Ireland on 6 November 2013, the Government of Ireland pointed out that it did not recognize any transfer of sovereignty or annexation of Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in 1967 pending an agreement between the parties to the conflict. Ireland had consistently affirmed that the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory was in breach of international law. 33. Ireland was considering the formulation of a national plan of action for the implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It was not aware of any Irish businesses engaged in activities in Israeli settlements. It stated that the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland carried a warning to persons considering investing in or buying property in the settlements with regard to their legal status. The questions of access to the market and the treatment and labelling of goods produced in settlements were determined at the level of the European Union. Saudi Arabia 34. In a note verbale dated 23 October 2013, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stated that Arabia had no political, economic, trade or investment relations with Israel or with any companies referred to in the recommendation contained in paragraph 117 of the report (A/HRC/22/63) or any of their activities. Syrian Arab Republic 35. In a note verbale dated 6 November 2013, the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic stated that the report of the fact-finding mission had reaffirmed the “viciousness” of Israeli policies and practices towards the Palestinian people, their property and land. It noted that the said policies and practices demonstrated Israel’s contempt for international humanitarian and human rights law. 36. The Syrian Arab Republic endorsed the findings of the report of the fact-finding mission and affirmed that the continued occupation of Arab territories since 1967 was the root cause of the human rights violations witnessed. It called upon Israel to comply with United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolution 242 (1967), and to withdraw from the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, occupied since 1967. This was the only solution that would enable the Palestinians to enjoy fully their right to self-determination and to establish an independent State. 37. The Syrian Arab Republic was fully cognizant of the implications of the practices of the occupying Power in the Palestinian territories, given that Israel committed the same violations in the occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian Arab Republic asserted that its call for Israel to end the occupation did not contradict the recommendations of the fact-finding mission, and noted that the recommendations contained in the report of the mission were temporary measures needed to mitigate the impact of the occupation, including settler violence, and to halt the encroachment on Palestinian land through illegal settlement construction. 8