The European Commission has proposed partially suspending Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe research programme. This follows calls from EU countries to increase pressure on Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to a statement from the European Commission, published on 29 July, the proposed partial suspension comes as a reaction to a review of Article 2 of the EU–Israel Association Agreement, in May, which assessed Israel’s compliance with human rights and democratic principles – an essential part of the agreement.
‘While Israel has announced a daily humanitarian pause in Gaza fighting and has met some of its commitments under the common understanding on humanitarian aid and access, the situation remains severe,’ the statement reads.
The suspension specifically concerns the participation of entities established in Israel in activities funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC), which backs start-ups and small businesses with disruptive innovations and emerging technologies that have potential dual-use applications, such as in cybersecurity, drones and artificial intelligence.
The suspension would not affect Israeli universities and researchers in collaborative projects being run through Horizon Europe.
For the proposal to be adopted, it will require approval from a qualified majority in the Council of the EU to take effect – at least 15 of the EU’s 27 members, representing at least 65% of the bloc’s population. EU ambassadors reportedly discussed the proposal on 29 July, but a number of them said they were still analysing the proposal.
The European Commission said a decision on the partial suspension of the agreement between the EU and Israel on the participation of Israel in Horizon Europe would be ‘available soon’.
Israel joined Horizon Europe as an associated country in 2021. However, the EU and Israel have had a long-standing partnership in scientific and technological cooperation. An association agreement was signed in 1995 and came into force in 2000 to provide the legal framework for EU–Israel relations.
Debate around Israel’s future in Horizon Europe in May, led the president of Israel’s Academy of Sciences and Humanities to state that the ejection of Israel from Horizon Europe would ‘pose a tangible threat to Israeli science’.
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