Recent reporting has revealed that the EU has channelled millions of euros in funding intended for civilian research programmes to projects involving Israeli arms manufacturers and defence firms, despite a ban on funding military and dual-use research.

Public records show that Israeli companies central to the country’s military industry have repeatedly participated in EU-backed research initiatives, including the Horizon Europe programme and its predecessor, Horizon 2020.

EU programmes provided $2.58 million to projects involving Elbit Systems, a major Israeli defence contractor. The company supplies weapons and surveillance equipment to the Israeli military and recently signed a $2.3bn deal with the UAE.

The UAE has been accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, a paramilitary group linked to widespread massacres, rape, and other serious human rights abuses.

In March 2026, the BHRC contacted Elbit Systems for comment on these allegations. The company's response can be read in full below.