UK to rejoin EU Horizon programme

UK will regain access to flagship EU science programme after two-year absence

The government has confirmed that the UK will rejoin the EU Horizon science programme after a two-year hiatus caused by fallout from various Brexit related disagreements.

Number 10 said the move would happen through "a new bespoke deal" with the EU.

In a statement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "We have worked with our EU partners to make sure that this is right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers."

In addition to rejoining Horizon the UK will join the EU's space programme, Copernicus.

The UK scientific community has expressed relief at the decision. The Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Society said in a joint statement:

"This is a great day for researchers in the UK and across Europe. The Horizon programme is a beacon of international collaboration and UK-based academic and industrial researchers will now be back at the heart of that.

"Research is vital to tackling the key problems we face, from global challenges such as climate change to driving productivity growth and creating new jobs locally. Our involvement in Horizon Europe will make the UK stronger and is a big win for global research and innovation."

The government stepped in to match the grants awarded by Horizon when the country lost access during the dispute between the Boris Johnson led administration and the EU about post-Brexit trading arrangements with Northen Ireland.

However, Horizon membership was about more than money, despite the fact that the UK was the biggest beneficiary of EU grants. Horizon also provided access to equipment and facilities, and crucially scientific talent. The uncertainty surrounding access to the programme led to more than twenty grant holders abandoning the UK to continue their research in Europe. As with so much else related Brexit, the uncertainty has drained money and talent out of the UK.

Despite the Windsor Framework deal being agreed in February, which was designed to address the trade concerns which led to the UK being removed from Horizon, and a draft deal being agreed in July, delays continued as the government negotiated for what it describes as "new financial protections for the British taxpayer." These protections amount to not paying for the years that we were absent, and a clawback should UK scientists receive significantly less in grants than the UK pays in.