Interesting news on the hidden military spending under that 7 year covenant, with particular attention paid to Israel.
The European Union’s research and development grant scheme, the Seventh Framework Programme, commits €2.83 billion (5.6 percent of the total budget) to space and security research between 2007-2013. Much of this money is being spent on surveillance or even pseudo-military projects, though spending of EU research funds on weapons R&D is forbidden.
Another prominent Israeli defence company benefiting from EU research funds is Elbit Systems. Elbit is a partner in four FP7 projects, funded by the taxpayer to the tune of €27.3 million. Among these projects is TASS – Total Airport Security System – which is developing a airport surveillance system and will be tested during the London Olympics in 2012
And below:
http://www.euro-correspondent.com/eu-in ... -%28ii%29/
Keeping an eye on you (II)
21 August 2011
Visitors passing through Heathrow on the way to next year's Olympics can no doubt have confidence in the airport's security systems. But they might be surprised to learn that, courtesy of a European Commission grant, they will be subsidising their own surveillance, and that they will be watched by an Israeli firm that provides monitoring systems for the West Bank separation barrier, writes Stephen Gardner.
Also:
[/quote]EU firms join gold rush on drones
http://euobserver.com/13/115283