EU Commission proposes partial suspension of Israel’s participation in Horizon Europe program

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - The European Commission proposed partially suspending Israel from participating in the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and development program Monday, citing concerns over humanitarian obligations in Gaza.

The proposed measure specifically targets Israel’s access to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, a funding mechanism supporting start-ups and small businesses developing disruptive technologies, including those with potential dual-use applications in areas such as cybersecurity, drones and artificial intelligence (AI).

According to the commission, the decision follows a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which emphasizes respect for human rights and democratic principles as essential elements of bilateral cooperation.

“Respect for these obligations constitutes an essential part of EU-Israel cooperation under the Agreement, including for bilateral scientific and technological cooperation between the two parties,” the commission said in a statement.

While acknowledging that Israel has announced daily humanitarian pauses in its military operations in Gaza and has taken steps to meet some of its commitments regarding aid access, the EU said the overall situation remains grave.

The commission stressed that the proposed suspension is “targeted and reversible” and will not affect Israeli universities or researchers participating in broader Horizon Europe collaborative research projects.

The suspension proposal will now be submitted to the Council of the European Union and requires approval by a qualified majority of member states before it can be implemented.

Israel joined Horizon Europe as an associated country in 2021, allowing it to participate in the program on an equal footing with EU member states. It has also made financial contributions to the initiative.

The Horizon Europe program is the EU’s flagship research and innovation platform aimed at fostering economic growth, technological development and job creation across the bloc and its partner countries.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which came into force in 2000, provides the legal framework for political, scientific, cultural and economic cooperation between the two sides.