Flemish universities filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman this week over the European Commission’s lack of clear guidance on Israeli participation in Horizon Europe, the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) said.
The complaint asks the Commission to explain how it applies international law to the program, what standards it uses to assess human-rights risks involving institutions and projects, and when universities may withdraw from a partnership without facing disproportionate financial consequences.
VLIR said universities lack a practical EU framework for translating their human-rights assessments into decisions about Horizon Europe partnerships. VLIR said universities want the Commission to clarify how human-rights reviews should inform decisions about ending Horizon Europe partnerships.
VLIR President Bernard Vanheusden said the council has sought clarification since May 2024. He said the replies have yet to resolve how universities should apply the Commission’s rules to individual research partnerships.
VLIR Secretary General Koen Verlaeckt said the complaint does not seek to exclude institutions because of nationality. He said universities want partnership decisions to account for human-rights and international-law responsibilities while preserving academic freedom.
