GUE/NGL MEP Bairbre de Brún today called on European Commissioner, Maire Geoghagan-Quinn, to "not provide research funding for Israeli companies which engage in research on technologies which have military applications."

Ms de Brún said: "The European Commission ends up helping the Israeli war machine when it funds research activities that can have military applications by companies which develop military technology. This needs to stop. I have submitted a question to the European Commission asking how much funding has gone to companies which are likely to use the results of their EU funded research for military purposes; the measures the Commission has taken to ensure that EU funding can not be used for the development of technologies which can have a military application; and asking the Commission to prevent further such funding while Israel fails to comply with international human rights standards"  

Note for editors: 

This is the text of the question which Ms de Brún has put to the European Commission:

Under FP7 how much funding has gone to Israeli companies which are engaged in research on technologies which can have military applications?

In particular how much funding has gone to Israel Aerospace Industries, which also manufactures the "Heron" unmanned aerial vehicle, which was used extensively in the war on Gaza?

What measures have been taken to ensure that EU funding cannot be used to develop technologies with a military application?

Will the Commission take steps to ensure that no company which conducts research for the Israeli military receives further funding from the EU while Israel fails to comply with international human rights standards? 

GUE/NGL PRESS CONTACT

Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 646628

David Lundy + 32 485 50 58 12

Sonja Giese + 32 486 94 50 21