Charles Shamas is a senior partner with the Mattin Group. His human rights practice is focused on activating processes of third party enforcement through the coordinated application of international law, EU law and national law. Mr. Shamas has led numerous technical, investigative and policy research projects commissioned by the World Bank, the United Nations Special Coordinator’s Office, the European Commission, the UK and Netherlands governments and European and Euro-Mediterranean networks of non-governmental organisations.
Since 1995 he has led a dialogue with the European Commission, the European Parliament and member states examining the problems that have arisen from Israel’s application of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to the territories it occupied since 1967 and possible solutions. More recently his work has been focused on promoting a multi-year process to rectify shortcomings in the EU’s earlier approach to constructing its privileged engagements with Israel. His work focuses on promoting action at EU level to ensure that legislation is implemented consistently with the EU’s international law-based policies, and that EU-Israel dealings respect the EU’s positions and commitments regarding the non-recognition of Israel’s exercise of sovereign authorities over the territories occupied since 1967.