R&D cooperation has helped the EU and Israel to build a sustainable partnership
Research and technological cooperation between the EU and Israel has been a 'vital instrument to maintain a sustainable collaboration between people and organisations, promoting partnerships that can survive in difficult political contexts,' states a declaration by the European Union following the second EU-Israel association council. Israel has been fully associated with the Fifth Framework programme (FP5) since March 1999. The agreement allows Israel to participate in any of FP5's non nuclear programmes. Israel's financial contribution to FP5 has amounted to around 140 million euro over the last four years, representing 1.18 per cent of FP5 funds. Israel has participated in 240 projects under FP5, mostly in the IST programme.