Under an agreement signed today by Israeli and European Union officials, Israel will contribute about $607-million to the European Union’s six-year, $69-billion research budget, known as the Seventh Framework Program. Israeli scientists will also be eligible to compete for financing from the newly created European Research Council.

Israel has collaborated with the European Union’s framework programs since the previous installment, which ran from 2002 to 2006, and the 27-member bloc is Israel’s second-largest source of science funds after the Israel Science Foundation. But the renewal of the association comes as some in the EU are seeking to sever academic ties with Israel, not foster them.

Britain’s largest academic union has sparked international controversy by voting to consider whether to boycott Israeli institutions and academics. Delegates to the University and College Union’s annual meeting also passed a motion calling for the union’s congress to campaign for “a moratorium on research and cultural collaborations with Israel via EU and European Science Foundation funding until Israel abides by UN resolutions” concerning Palestinians.

Despite such calls, today’s agreement makes clear that Israeli scientists and researchers will continue to benefit from close ties with European Union colleagues. “Israel will gain full access to the biggest research program in the world,” said the EU’s research commissioner, Janez Potočnik. —Aisha Labi