No decision yet on EU sanctions against Israel
Brussels – The partial exclusion of Israel from the EU research program Horizon, proposed by the EU Commission on Monday, has not yet been approved by the EU ambassadors. A vote on the proposal, which is a response to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, has been postponed according to EU diplomats due to differing opinions among EU states. Austria and other delegations are very critical of the suspension.
They fear that this could close the channels of communication with Israel and are therefore against a suspension. According to dpa, Germany was among the countries that consider further analysis of the proposal necessary and want to wait for developments in the Gaza Strip in the coming days. Since the weekend, Israel has been allowing aid transports to enter the coastal area on a larger scale again; according to the military authority Cogat, around 220 trucks crossed the border crossing on Wednesday.
Reaction to Israel’s actions in Gaza
The proposal is now to be reviewed and will be back on the agenda in the coming days or weeks. It is a response to the review of Article 2 of the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel, the EU Commission justifies its proposal. The EU’s review report on compliance with Article 2 of the agreement views Israel’s actions in Gaza very critically. Some EU countries have long been calling for a suspension of the agreement, while Austria and Germany have so far fundamentally opposed it.
However, not all EU states need to agree to implement the suspension: According to the EU Commission, a so-called qualified majority is required for the implementation of the sanctions proposal, which would be 15 of the 27 EU states that together represent at least 65 percent of the population of the member states.
The Commission’s decision concerns the participation of Israeli companies and start-ups in the EIC Accelerator. This supports the development and marketing of disruptive innovations and new technologies with a potential dual-use, such as cybersecurity, drones, and artificial intelligence. The proposed suspension is targeted and reversible, emphasizes the Brussels authority. It does not affect the participation of Israeli universities and researchers in collaborative projects and research activities under “Horizon Europe.” (31.07.2025)
