WRITTEN QUESTION E-1173/02

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 April 2002)

Subject: Arms embargo on Israel: halting military cooperation with Israel

Many EU countries have arrangements for cooperation with the Israeli defence industry, and thus support its defence system. I would particularly draw attention to the EU's support (under the Fifth Framework Programme of Research and Technological Development) for research by an Israeli arms company (Israel Aircraft Industries) into civil applications of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles). The sum involved is EUR 10 million divided between two programmes over a period of two and a half years. It is well known that arms companies can easily convert civil applications into military ones. In this case, the EU is funding research to ascertain whether there are potential civil applications in addition to the military ones.

Can the Commission provide Parliament with a list of all military cooperation agreements between the EU and Israel? Is the Commission prepared to suspend this cooperation for as long as the Israeli government is committing large-scale human rights violations? Can the Commission provide details of any military cooperation there may be between the EU and the Palestinian Authority?

Is the Commission carrying out an investigation to ascertain whether all transactions with Israel should be denied under the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports? When will the results of this investigation be available?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 2002)

Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) research is a minor activity of the 5th Framework programme for research and technological development (RTD)'s key action Aeronautics of the competitive and sustainable growth programme. The work carried out in this field concerns strictly the development of civil applications of UAVs.

The cooperation with Israeli entities is undertaken under the umbrella of the scientific and technological agreement existing between the Community and Israel for the 5th Framework programme, which specifically excludes any type of military research. Therefore, no aspect of military cooperation between the Community and Israel exists in the UAV projects concerned.

The research work focuses on advances in the civil/commercial application of UAVs, in particular in areas such as environmental monitoring, communication relays and earth observation, as well as the safe integration of civil UAV into air traffic management.

Community contribution to Israel Aircraft Industries in these research activities amounts to less than EUR 1,5 million.

The list of bilateral agreements concluded between the European Community (alone or in some cases with its Member States) and Israel will be sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat General. The term EU agreement used by the Honourable Member is not applicable, as the European Union as such is not a contracting party to any bilateral agreement with Israel.

While the Commission is very concerned about the current situation in the Middle East, it believes that it is important to maintain relations with Israel and that suspending the Association Agreement would not make the Israeli authorities more responsive to its concerns at this time. For now, the Commission believes it is preferable to continue to use the mechanisms of the Agreement to press its point of view with the Israeli authorities, at all levels.

The Union has no military cooperation agreement with the Palestinian Authority (PA). The Union does run a counter-terrorist programme with the PA, which is financed from the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) budget of the Union, and is based on a joint action. This programme consists of specific assistance and training modules for the PA's security services (forensics, investigation techniques, human rights training, etc), which are implemented by Member States' agencies under the management of the Union Special Advisor in Ramallah, Nils Ericsson. This project has been severely affected by Israeli military operations in the Palestinian Territories. The Forensic Science Laboratory, which it helped finance, was destroyed by the Israeli army in December 2001.

The Code of Conduct on Arm Exports is an instrument implemented by the Member States. The Commission has no power or competence to supervise the way implementation by Member States is carried out.