The UK will launch its own version of the European Union鈥檚 鈧�100 billion Horizon research scheme in September if a deal on continued access cannot be reached, says the UK science minister, George Freeman. Freeman has accused the EU of 鈥渨eaponising science鈥� as the UK鈥檚 continued participation in Horizon, the largest collaborative research programme in the world looks increasingly unlikely.
As part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement signed in December 2020, the EU agreed to allow the UK to remain part of the Horizon programme, into which the UK would pay 拢15 billion over seven years. In return, UK scientists get access to grants from the European Research Council (ERC), with the UK being the second largest recipient of grants from 2014 to 2020.
The UK鈥檚 attempt to override part of the deal relating to the transport of goods , however, has left planned continued participation in Horizon 鈥� and other collaborations such as the Copernicus Earth observation programme and the Euratom nuclear collaboration 鈥� in doubt.
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Earlier this month, awarded in 2021 unless the UK sticks to the original Brexit agreement.
Freeman tells 快猫短视频 he is worried that scientists are being punished for a disagreement they aren鈥檛 part of. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very disappointing the EU are actively ringing up ERC grant nominees and using them as pawns in negotiations,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty fed up that we are still being held out. The EU is weaponising science for the Northern Ireland negotiations.鈥�
鈥淚f you鈥檇 asked me in the spring if we鈥檇 leave Horizon, I felt that common sense would prevail,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y working assumption now, unless the phone rings, is that is where we are and I have a duty to roll out an alternative programme.鈥�
The UK鈥檚 membership of Horizon expires at the end of 2022, but Freeman says if a resolution can鈥檛 be found in the next few weeks, then he would begin preparations to launch his alternative, currently known as Plan B. A prospectus on how Plan B will work is set to be published before MPs leave Parliament for their summer break on 21 July.
Freeman says the plan would be 鈥渞eady to deploy this September鈥�, giving UK scientists access to research grants and covering the loss of any ERC grants up to the end of 2022.
鈥淭here is a whole world beyond the EU,鈥� says Freeman. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a big opportunity for us to deploy the money for global projects.鈥�
Several countries outside the EU have signalled their intent to join Horizon, however, including New Zealand, Japan, Canada and South Korea.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said they 鈥渃ontinue to recognise the mutual benefit in cooperation in science, research and innovation, nuclear research and space鈥�. However, there were 鈥渟erious difficulties鈥� regarding the withdrawal agreement. 鈥淭he Commission鈥檚 objective remains to have a stable and positive relationship with the UK,鈥� they said.
Unless the situation regarding Northern Ireland can be resolved, it looks increasingly likely that the UK will no longer be part of Horizon by September.
