Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-003892/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Marc Botenga (The Left)
In its February 2025 answer[1] to Written Question E-001930/2024[2], the Commission claims that any research and innovation activities carried out under Horizon Europe must have ‘an exclusive focus on civil applications’, as set forth in the Horizon Europe Regulation[3].
However, in July 2025, the Commission proposed partially suspending Israel’s participation in Horizon Europe. According to the Commission, this would affect ‘the participation of Israeli entities in the European Innovation Council Accelerator, which targets start-ups and small businesses with disruptive innovations and emerging technologies that have potential dual-use applications, such as in cybersecurity, drones, and artificial intelligence’[4]. This implies some activities funded under Horizon Europe do not have ‘an exclusive focus on civil applications’.
- 1.Was the Commission aware in February 2025 that some activities under Horizon Europe were funding ‘dual-use’ applications? If not, why not?
- 2.If the Commission was aware, why did it claim that research and innovation activities carried out under Horizon Europe had ‘an exclusive focus on civil applications’?
- 3.As the Commission claimed that research and innovation activities under Horizon Europe must have ‘an exclusive focus on civil applications’, does it consider the funding of dual use activities a violation of the Horizon Europe Regulation?
Submitted: 3.10.2025
- [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2024-001930-ASW_EN.html.
- [2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2024-001930_EN.html.
- [3] Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, pp. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/695/oj (http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/695/oj)).
- [4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_1921.