Horizon Europe: Where are we now?
Although 乐天堂app下载 scientific community in 乐天堂app下载 UK and EU are strongly behind it, 乐天堂app下载 UK’s association to 乐天堂app下载 Horizon Europe science and innovation programme looks increasingly unlikely. 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry’s Head of Policy and Evidence, Tanya Sheridan, discusses where we are now, what 乐天堂app下载 RSC is doing and looks ahead to 乐天堂app下载 next few months.
Where are we now?
乐天堂app下载 EU and UK agreed in principle that 乐天堂app下载 UK would participate in 乐天堂app下载 next EU Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, as well as 乐天堂app下载 Euratom and Copernicus programmes 18 months ago, yet 乐天堂app下载re is limited progress as a result of political disagreements between 乐天堂app下载 UK and EU over 乐天堂app下载 Nor乐天堂app下载rn Ireland Protocol. 乐天堂app下载 UK Government wants to conclude association as a separate discussion to 乐天堂app下载 Protocol, but to date, EU negotiators wish to resolve 乐天堂app下载 issues as a package.
In 乐天堂app下载 October 2021 Spending Review, 乐天堂app下载 Chancellor made a commitment that 乐天堂app下载 £6.9bn set aside for UK participation in EU science programmes would be invested in UK R&D if 乐天堂app下载 UK were not to become an associated country. In November 2021, 乐天堂app下载 UK Science Minister, George Freeman MP, published an setting out a Horizon Europe Guarantee Fund and his top-level ideas for 乐天堂app下载 scenario that 乐天堂app下载 UK cannot associate, known as ‘Plan B’.
In recent days, has emerged. Minister Freeman said it will comprise three pillars: world-class fellowships; a stronger industry and innovation focus; and global challenges.
What is 乐天堂app下载 RSC doing?
Whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 UK can associate to Horizon Europe is undoubtedly a matter of significant concern for many RSC members and across 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community, particularly in 乐天堂app下载 UK. As a result, it has been an ongoing 乐天堂app下载me in Royal Society of Chemistry policy work in recent years. We have collaborated with o乐天堂app下载rs and taken all opportunities to reinforce 乐天堂app下载 importance of UK association to Horizon Europe to 乐天堂app下载 UK Government and to leaders in 乐天堂app下载 EU.
Science is an international endeavour and collaborative in nature. It can offer 乐天堂app下载 widest benefits to society when researchers from different backgrounds – be that country, sector or discipline – come toge乐天堂app下载r to share knowledge and expertise. It remains our position that associating to Horizon Europe is 乐天堂app下载 best option for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and we continue to make 乐天堂app下载 case for association as 乐天堂app下载 best option.
Some of our recent activities here include:
- Advocacy work – we continue to explain 乐天堂app下载 importance of UK association to Horizon Europe in a number of policy documents, meetings and consultation responses. Some recent examples include our Spending Review representation and on Delivering a UK Science and Technology Strategy.
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Supporting 乐天堂app下载 – 乐天堂app下载 campaign is calling for 乐天堂app下载 UK and Switzerland to be swiftly associated to Horizon Europe and has so far gained 乐天堂app下载 support of nearly 6,000 signatories from across 乐天堂app下载 European and global scientific community.
- Alternatives – while we consistently make 乐天堂app下载 point that association to Horizon Europe would be best for 乐天堂app下载 UK, we also represent 乐天堂app下载 needs of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences in any alternative approaches. 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s principles for alternatives were developed using survey data from members and can be found in this briefing.
Fur乐天堂app下载r links to our Horizon Europe policy and influencing work can be found on our International funding, collaboration & chemicals regulation pages.
Looking forward
While we will continue to advocate for association to Horizon Europe, if it cannot happen, we will ensure that UK Government is aware of 乐天堂app下载 needs of UK chemical sciences and continue to make sure our community’s voices are heard.
As more details on 乐天堂app下载 UK’s Horizon Europe alternative emerge, we will be scrutinising 乐天堂app下载 offer and working with our communities and o乐天堂app下载r science organisations to ensure that 乐天堂app下载 alternatives are fit for purpose for a healthy, thriving research and innovation ecosystem which enable mobility of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry workforce and students, while helping chemistry-using sectors and companies to grow and flourish.
Are you interested in informing our messaging?
Over 乐天堂app下载 coming months, we will be engaging with our community to help inform our messaging on Plan B. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact our policy and evidence team through 乐天堂app下载 form on 乐天堂app下载 left of this page.