The European Union passed an Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance (ACAA) with Israel on Tuesday evening.

The decision by MEPs, by 379 votes to 230, with 41 abstentions, will guarantee that some of the leading drugs in the world, developed and produced by Israel, will now reach European patients quicker and at more affordable prices. One is the Weizmann Institute's discovery of an effective vaccine for hepatitis B.

Arutz Sheva posted an article describing the events leading up to the vote - the Arab pressure to boycott drugs from Israel, a move which would have had Europeans paying more for vital medicines - if they could obtain them from other countries or afford them in the present economic situation.