- Despite its ambitious internal AI regulation, the EU fails to hold itself accountable for the human rights impact of AI and surveillance technologies exported to or funded in regions like West Asia and North Africa (WANA).
- Research by 7amleh identifies a systemic, opaque pipeline routing European funds into military and surveillance tools used against journalists, activists, and migrants.
- EU migration deals, innovation grants, and direct commercial exports facilitate these transfers, often blurring the line between civilian and military applications.
Three Channels of Technology Transfer
- Migration Control: 10 percent of aid for third-country cooperation is tied to migration governance. EU-funded biometric and surveillance systems in countries like Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon are used to intercept migrants, often increasing personal danger.
- Research and Innovation: Through programs like Horizon Europe and the European Defence Fund, the EU grants funds to Israeli companies with military ties. Examples include:
- Xtend: Funded by Horizon Europe and later contracted for assault drones.
- Intracom Defense: Received over 15 million euros from the European Defence Fund.
- Paragon Solutions: Beneficiary of EU investment that developed spyware used against human rights defenders.
- Direct Commercial Exports: European companies sell facial recognition and smart city tools to WANA governments with no binding human rights due diligence, enabling mass surveillance in authoritarian contexts.
Impact and Policy Inertia
- EU-funded technology is actively deployed in Gaza, where international humanitarian law violations have been reported.
- Although the European Commission acknowledged in 2025 that Israel is violating humanitarian law, political inertia and opposition from member states prevent the suspension of research funding.
- The EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) was weakened in 2025 by raising employee thresholds, exempting most tech companies from accountability.
Proposed Reforms
- Extend the AI Act to cover exports, closing the gap where high-risk systems are sold freely to third countries.
- Mandate binding human rights due diligence for all AI and dual-use technology exports.
- Require independent, public human rights impact assessments before finalizing migration agreements.
- Reassess Israeli entity eligibility for EU research grants based on human rights conduct.