Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Horizon 2020 Agreement, which was formally signed by the European Commission and by Israel last month, states clearly in article 6, paragraph one that the agreement does not apply to the territory occupied by Israel in 1967. The paragraph then goes on to state that this agreed provision is without prejudice to the position in principle of the two sides.

Essentially, the same points are made in the appendices to the agreement. The European Commission states it may continue to implement its existing guidelines on funding eligibility and Israel asserts its position of opposition to these guidelines. This is normal diplomatic language allowing one party or other to affirm a national position while in practice accepting an agreement which falls some way short of that position. In this case, the operative element is that both sides have agreed as in Article 6 that "this agreement shall not apply to the geographic areas that came under the administration of the State of Israel after 5 June 1967."

The position is thus quite clear that EU research grants may not be applied in the occupied territories. There are mechanisms provided, as is usual in such schemes, for reclaiming of funding improperly applied. Ireland fully supports this position. Ongoing implementation and oversight of the Horizon 2020 agreement with Israel is a matter principally for the Commission and the European Parliament. I have every confidence that the Commission will ensure that the agreement is properly applied.

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