Focus on EU funding in Occupied Territories

A delegation of high-level EU officials is preparing to visit Israel this week in order to find a compromise regarding the Middle Eastern country’s participation in Horizon 2020.

The meeting is the latest in a series of diplomatic talks after Brussels published new guidelines during the summer governing the way EU funds are allocated in the Occupied Territories.

According to the European Jewish Press, the main issue of contention is the ineligibility of Israeli entities operating in the Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza Strip to receive EU funds, grants and prizes. The EU document says: “The EU does not recognise Israel’s sovereignty over any of the territories…and does not consider them to be part of Israel’s territory, irrespective of their legal status under domestic Israeli law.”

Speaking to Reuters, Ze’ev Elkin, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, warned of possible diversion between Israel and the EU if a compromise was not found: “If we fail to resolve this problem, the future direction will be a kind of separation between Israel and the EU. We are the start-up nation. It would be a big mistake for Europe to lose its relations with Israel.”

Israel has said it will not participate in Horizon 2020 unless a resolution is found. “It would force us to discriminate (against) our own institutions,” added Elkin.

An agreement between the EU and Israel must be found soon if the country is to participate in Horizon 2020 from its start on 1 January 2014. Last week, Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, travelled to Israel in order to further develop business relations between the EU and Israel as part of the ‘Missions for Growth’ programme.

The delegation to Israel will be led by Pierre Vimont, secretary-general of the European External Action Service. He will meet with senior officials from the Israeli ministries of foreign affairs, economy and science.