UK needs to remain in European Science Programmes

The future of scientific research in the UK will be severely damaged if the country crashes out of the European Union without a deal by the end of this year. This warning was issued recently by leading British scientists and reported in The Observer on 3 May. 

Since the start of the latest round of financing in the current European scheme - called Horizon 2020 - the UK has reportedly received more money than any other country (over GBP 1.5 billion).

As the country has left the European Union, the UK will no longer be a full participant in the next funding round called Horizon Europe. It is possible for the UK to join in the programmes as an "associated country", which is a status that countries like Israel and Switzerland have obtained. This will be one of the areas of negotiation in the future EU-UK deal. However, the coronavirus pandemic has severely delayed these negotiations and the Liberal Democrats have already called for an extension of the transition period so that the negotiations can be completed.