Brexit Britain lays out plan to shake off EU shackles and invest 15bn in UK instead – Express

Launched last year as the successor to the Horizon 2020 programme, Horizon Europe is a seven-year initiative to provide funding for scientific research and innovation. Back in late 2020, alongside signing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK and the EU reached an agreement in principle that the UK would associate with Horizon Europe after Brexit.

However, this arrangement has yet to be finalised, more than a year later, particularly due to disputes over Brexit.

The move will cost the UK 15billion over seven years and will allow UK researchers to access the huge 80billion pool of funding and collaborate with European partners

Responding to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, UK Science Minsiter George Freeman laid out a plan to fund UK researchers should the UK be permanently barred from Horizon Europe.

He said: Weve been very clear that we cant a situation where uncertainty of being blocked damages UK science and research today.

Thats why Ive launched the first guarantee for funding- a sort of in flight applications that have been through the first process we set up in December to guarantee funding.

Weve just extended that to the end of the year, to give those teams who would be working on Horizon applications, the knowledge that they wont be left hanging off a cliff- we will fund them.

However, he then stressed about the importance of a Plan B for what the UK must do if they arent able to join the project.

He stated that the UK Government a lot of time between October through December listening to the UK scientific community to understand what is valuable to them about Horizon Europe.

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He continued: A very clear message that the fellowships are hugely valued.

Secondly the familiarity across Europe of terms when you speak to researchers across universities who say oh its a Horizon project, we know how that works.

The Plan B is to take what is known and loved by the research community today and make sure thats there.

Mr Freeman laid out his plan into three distinct pillars.

He said: Firstly the talent, Ive suggested that if we have to do it our own we put more into those talent pillars than traditionally weve done and we make them slightly longer term and base them on some of our academy fellowships.

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Brexit Britain lays out plan to shake off EU shackles and invest 15bn in UK instead - Express