It’s published
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The European Commission countered criticism from far-right political groups that they allocated EU research funds over the past few years to projects focusing on subjects such as Islam, the Qur’an, Sharia and Islamophobia.
The controversy began after Italy’s solid MEP Sylvia Sardone questioned the value of the project and described them as “a study of dubious utility, all focused on Islam,” demanding that the committee justify the use of public funds.
Similar concerns were raised by French far-right MEP Jean-Paul Garod. A lawmaker sitting in the patriot group of European groups in the European Parliament suggested that the project unfairly promoted Islam or exaggerated the existence of European Islamophobia.
In a response published Monday, EU research committee member Ekaterina Zaharieva stands by the European Research Council (ERC), the scientific funding group in the bloc, noting that the project in question is “world-class academic nutrition that advances the frontier of knowledge.”
She said the funded research covers a wide range of topics, including the inclusion of minorities in democratic societies and the evolution of Islamic law.
Examples of ERC-backed initiatives include a 2.5 million euro project led by the French National Centre for Science and Research. This maps the evolution of Sharia law and will be carried out until 2029.
Another project coordinated by the University of Istanbul Birgi between 2018 and 2019 received 2.3 million euros to study the rise of populist and Islamophobic discourses in Europe.
At Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, he was awarded 2.3 million euros in 2023 for his study on the role of animals in Islamic philosophy. Meanwhile, Oxford University is running a 2.7 million euro project held from 2021 to 2027 examining the experiences of Muslim youth in Europe and the UK.
The committee rejected the bias claim, emphasizing strict independent peer reviews when evaluating proposals and highlighting that these grants were awarded through a transparent and highly competitive process.
“The only criterion for fundraising is the scientific excellence of the proposal,” Zaharieva said, emphasizing that all projects undergo a detailed ethical review before fundraising.
Since its founding in 2007, ERC has supported over 17,000 projects and over 10,000 researchers, ranging from engineering and life sciences to social sciences and humanities.
According to the European Commission, the work has resulted in over 200,000 scientific publications, 2,200 patent and intellectual property applications, and numerous international acclaim, including 14 Nobel Prizes, seven field medals and 11 wolves awards.
