In July 2025, the European Commission proposed a partial suspension of Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe research programme, specifically targeting entities that access funding under the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. This proposal stems from a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which concerns bilateral scientific and technological cooperation. According to this review, Israel has failed to meet the Association Agreement’s obligations to respect human rights and the rule of law in their humanitarian conduct in Gaza. So far the Commission’s proposal has failed to gather enough support from member countries in the European Council.

In practice, the proposed ban would only target start-ups and small businesses developing potential dual-use technologies – those that can serve both civilian and military purposes. These include applications in cybersecurity, drones and artificial intelligence, which can be used to both plan and carry out attacks that endanger civilians. However, broader scientific and academic networks engaged in the same dual-use development would continue receiving Horizon Europe funding – now entering a third year since the genocide began.

There are documented, ongoing actions by the Israeli state that amount to war crimes and systematic discrimination against Palestinians. As of now, a large part of universities and colleges in the Gaza strip has been destroyed by airstrikes, and many academic staff and students have been displaced or killed. The entire Palestinian education system has been effectively dismantled. Meanwhile, several Israeli higher education institutions have been complicit in enabling war crimes or even cooperating with the Israel Defense Forces.

These atrocities fundamentally undermine the purpose of Horizon Europe, a programme designed to support research and innovation addressing global challenges. Man-made famines and the destruction of civilian infrastructure are inhumane acts that disrupt global stability and violate the rule-based international order. It is shameful that programmes intended to advance sustainable development goals continue to fund institutions that are even allegedly complicit in severe human rights violations.

We at SYL demand:

• The European Commission and the Council of the European Union to suspend all Israel corporations and institutions from participating in Horizon Europe projects.
• A comprehensive review of all projects involving Israeli institutions to be conducted to assess adherence to international humanitarian law and the EU’s fundamental values.
• The establishment of clear mechanisms preventing entities involved in human rights violations from receiving EU-funding.

This is not only a matter of moral integrity of the EU but also of legal credibility of the Horizon programme. Science and innovation should serve peace, justice, and the public good — not destruction.

Samuli Leppämaki
Board Member, internationality, EU och ESU
044 906 5001
samuli.leppamaki@syl.fi