Lord Frost gives update on UK’s participation in Horizon Europe

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As a result of Brexit disputes over Northern Ireland, the EU has blocked the UK from participating in Horizon Europe, an £80billion research programme that allows scientists to access EU grants and collaborate with European researchers. After leaving the EU, Britain had successfully negotiated its entry into the programme, offering to contribute £15billion towards the programme over a seven-year period.

However, disputes over Northern Ireland have resulted in the holding British scientists hostage, issuing an ultimatum to the 143 researchers who were promised Starting, Consolidator and Advanced grants under the 2021 work programme for Horizon Europe

The European Research Council (ERC), which is the bloc’s main research funding agency, told the UK-based applicants that those who were promised grants must move to the EU, or a Horizon-associated country, within two months or else be replaced by other applicants.

Experts have warned that such a mass exodus of British scientists to the EU would hurt the UK and scupper its ambitions of being a “science superpower”.

Now, new data shows that at least 20 researchers from UK universities have had their grants terminated for refusing to move to the EU.

However, a spokesperson for the ERC told Express.co.uk: “There are 143 UK-based applicants concerned in total for Starting, Consolidator and Advanced grant calls.

“Seven grant preparations have been terminated.

“13 terminations are on-going (announced but not processed yet).”

Since issuing the ultimatum, the bloc has decided to extend its deadline to June 29.

Previously, a spokesperson told Express.co.uk that if the UK scientists do not move over to the EU the “grants are not terminated per see.

“What could be terminated is the preparations for grant agreements, not grants as these are not yet ongoing projects.”

While 20 contracts of the 143 total are set to be terminated, they added that another 18 had already decided to move to the EU.

They said: “Three requests to move the grant to new host institutions in the EU or Associated Countries have been signed

“15 requests to move the grant are currently being processed (commitment letters of new host institutions in EU or Associated Countries received)”.

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This leaves another 112 grantees that have not yet given ERC a response on whether they plan to stay in the UK and forfeit their grants or relocate to the EU.

These figures come as EU researchers wrote a furious letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging her to let the UK and Switzerland join Horizon.

The Stick to Science campaign, which represents over 5,600 campaigners, argued that the delay is causing significant harm and uncertainty to the research communities of both nations.

The campaigners’ letter reads: “As we face the very real and pressing risk that Horizon Europe could continue without two of its most committed partners, we emphasise that research collaboration benefits us all.”

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