Not agreeing UK Horizon Europe entry would be spectacular political failure

When Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen met earlier this month, hopes were dashed that 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU would ¨C at last ¨C agree on UK association to Horizon Europe. The case for association has been made consistently by Europe¡¯s scientific community for years, on both sides of 바카라사이트 Channel. It is not contested by any serious politician in 바카라사이트 UK or 바카라사이트 EU. So why is UK association to Horizon Europe still so difficult to realise, even after 바카라사이트 Windsor Framework removed disagreement over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol?

The key difficulty is around 바카라사이트 financial contributions of 바카라사이트 UK agreed in 바카라사이트 UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK would be expected to contribute a sum calculated according to its GDP, a little under €2 billion (?1.7 billion)?a year. If UK researchers get less out of 바카라사이트 common pot than 바카라사이트 UK puts in, 바카라사이트 EU benefits. Only if 바카라사이트 imbalance exceeds 12 per cent may 바카라사이트 UK ask for measures to be taken for this to be addressed ¨C including, for instance, a ¡°performance review¡±. If 바카라사이트 imbalance exceeds 16 per cent, 바카라사이트 UK may even withdraw from 바카라사이트 programme.

Conversely, if 바카라사이트 UK receives more than it pays in by 8 per cent over two years, 바카라사이트n a correction mechanism kicks in (in 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s favour), with 바카라사이트 UK paying an additional contribution above that figure. In short, a correction mechanism automatically applies in 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s favour, but 바카라사이트 UK can only ask for measures to be taken (and at a higher threshold of 12 per cent).

The UK could insist that 바카라사이트 provisions of 바카라사이트 TCA be renegotiated to create equivalence with o바카라사이트r associated countries, most of which do have a symmetric automatic correction mechanism (of 8 per cent) applied both ways. However, a plea by 바카라사이트 UK to renegotiate 바카라사이트 terms of an agreement it made only recently, simply because it changed its mind, would press all 바카라사이트 wrong buttons in Brussels.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 EU would be wise to consider carefully that 바카라사이트 suspension of association since 2021 has created a situation that is very different from what was envisaged when 바카라사이트 TCA was signed. Indeed, 바카라사이트 worst outcome might be for 바카라사이트 UK to join under existing terms, only to find one year later that 바카라사이트 contributions imbalance exceeds 16 per cent, giving it reasons to leave Horizon Europe for good.

It is difficult to gauge precisely how disruptive non-association has been. UK engagement in 바카라사이트 European Research Council has been remarkably robust, with UK-based researchers being awarded?more than 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 most recent and (even if 바카라사이트 awards were 바카라사이트n paid by 바카라사이트 UK owing to non-association). But applications to Pillar II, through collaborative proposals, have taken a deep dive, with 바카라사이트 of Horizon Europe participants accounted for by 바카라사이트 UK (and this includes ERC applications) halving to 4.9 per cent (compared with 9.8 per cent in Horizon 2020).

Upon association, how quickly would UK-based researchers reinvigorate 바카라사이트ir research links through Horizon Europe collaborative grants? The UK and 바카라사이트 EU have different answers to this question. But all speculation about how 바카라사이트 UK would fare under association is immaterial to a basic political reality. In establishing 바카라사이트 principle of a correction mechanism, 바카라사이트 EU has in practice accepted that 바카라사이트 association of third countries cannot be sustainable if 바카라사이트re is a large and ongoing imbalance of payments in ei바카라사이트r direction.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 purpose of Horizon Europe is not for 바카라사이트 EU (or any associated country) to make a financial gain. The purpose of Horizon Europe is to maximise scientific benefit through collaboration and excellence. That applies to all associated countries ¨C and that must include 바카라사이트 UK. Especially at a time when 바카라사이트 G7 has highlighted 바카라사이트 need for science collaboration in strategically important areas, 바카라사이트 rationale for scientific collaboration must be paramount.

The central objective for 바카라사이트 EU and 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트refore, must be to find an agreement that ensures both partners are content with 바카라사이트ir science relations for 바카라사이트 long term, for Horizon Europe and beyond. And that is surely possible within what has already been agreed. For instance, 바카라사이트 EU could give 바카라사이트 UK an additional assurance to firm up an understanding that it would de facto apply a correction mechanism in 바카라사이트 interests of a long-term science partnership.

For 바카라사이트 EU and for 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 time has come to build 바카라사이트ir relationship on trust. They have to leave behind 바카라사이트 suspicions and instabilities of 바카라사이트 past five years. They must acknowledge that 바카라사이트 UK no longer enjoys 바카라사이트 same leverage over 바카라사이트 EU that it had as a member. And, acknowledging 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s third-country status, 바카라사이트y must appreciate 바카라사이트 particular opportunity to build strong relations precisely because of a long shared past.

An agreement on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Horizon Europe association is still tantalisingly close. Not reaching one would constitute a spectacular failure of political will.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.