Melike Pala
29 October 2026•Update: 29 October 2026
Belgium’s Flemish universities said Thursday they had filed a complaint against the European Commission over a lack of clear guidance on research partnerships with Israeli institutions.
The complaint was submitted to the European Ombudsman through the Flemish Interuniversity Council, which represents the universities.
The universities are seeking a common European framework outlining how human rights and international law obligations are considered in EU-funded research projects, particularly regarding cooperation with Israeli entities.
They also want clarity on whether universities could face financial penalties or compensation claims for withdrawing from partnerships over potential human rights violations.
“We have repeatedly asked the European Commission for clarification since May 2024. However, the Commission's answers remain limited to generic references to existing regulations and procedures, without concrete guidelines, criteria, or justification,” council Chairman Bernard Vanheusden said in a statement.
“As a result, universities wishing to terminate a collaboration due to the risk of human rights violations are faced with significant legal uncertainty and potential financial sanctions,” he added.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounded over 175,000, while causing widespread destruction affecting about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.
