Follow The Money’s investigation shows that funds from the European Defence Fund, Horizon research programmes, loans from an Italian state-owned bank and an entity belonging to Spain’s science ministry, have provided funding to companies developing commercial spyware, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of euros.
This includes EU taxpayers’ money being used to fund Intellexa, the company behind the Predatorgate scandal in Greece. The EU Commission itself has acknowledged EU funds being granted to spyware companies.
Then there are investments. The Belgian outlet Apache reported that the European Investment Fund (EIF) provided funds for the Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions through an Israeli venture capital fund.
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When it comes to grants EU’s funding instruments, such as the European Defence Fund or Horizon research programmes, the commission has stated it would “immediately take action” if presented with proven evidence of companies violating human rights or European values.
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Lying bastards.