‘TU Delft engaged in multiple dual-use studies with Israel’

The European Union encourages scientists and researchers to engage in international collaborations, including beyond Europe. In this context, scientists from Dutch universities are also partnering with Israeli institutions and companies, financed through the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. While this is not military research per se, the outcomes may have potential military applications.

Research platform Follow the Money reports involvement in 28 dual-use projects at a minimum, including at least one Dutch university and an Israeli company or research institution. These projects receive 356 million euros in EU subsidies in total.

European Commission figures show that Israel paid between 300 million and 390 million euros a year for participation in the research programme in recent years.

Examples

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven) is reported to be engaged in eight dual-use projects with Israeli partners, and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in seven.

Critics are urging universities to end these collaborations with Israel to avoid any perceived or other association with the war in Gaza. The Volt parliamentary group in the House of Representatives has already submitted written questions in light of the article.

TU Delft says there is no way to check whether research leads to military applications

Responding to the report by Follow the Money, Dutch universities stress that the distinction between civilian and military research is complicated. TU Delft, for example, says there is no way for it to check whether research leads to military applications.

Moreover, it is very difficult for universities to end collaboration projects with Israel. Universities face losing hundreds of thousands of euros in subsidies as well as the threat of legal action.

Research association agreement

Israel is relatively successful in obtaining grants. According to Follow the Money, it has received more than 3 billion euros in total in research funding over the past twenty years.

It is uncertain whether this will continue. Two weeks ago, the European Commission, acting on a Dutch initiative, agreed to review its cooperation with Israel, which could spell the end of the association agreement with the country. This would amount to almost a “death sentence” for Israeli science, the president of the country’s Academy of Sciences and Humanities has said.

Rector Peter-Paul Verbeek of the University of Amsterdam is going to check whether other rectors want to participate in a letter to the European Commission asking not to renew the Association Agreement with Israel. He has promised this to protesting students, reports Science Guide.

HOP, Olmo Linthorst/Delta, Annebelle de Bruijn
Translation: Taalcentrum-VU