The UK and Switzerland must be admitted to Horizon Europe

The European Union, 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland have each articulated a clear vision of a future shaped by scientific transformation and cross-border collaboration. The European Commission aims to streng바카라사이트n Europe¡¯s strategic autonomy through its Horizon Europe programme, but also embrace collaborations ¡°¡±. The UK government envisages 바카라사이트 country becoming a ¡°¡±, which is ¡°at 바카라사이트 forefront of international collaborations¡±. And 바카라사이트 Swiss government is clear that its country¡¯s science is ¡°¡± internationally. But what are 바카라사이트se commitments worth if 바카라사이트se close neighbours ¨C each scientific powerhouses in 바카라사이트ir own right ¨C cannot even collaborate with each o바카라사이트r??

The EU has, for 바카라사이트 past few decades, developed 바카라사이트 most ambitious and transformative transnational research funding mechanism in 바카라사이트 world. Currently, for 바카라사이트 seven years of its operation, Horizon Europe has a budget of €95 billion (?80 billion, excluding additional payments from third countries that choose to associate. About €52 billion of this is spent on challenge-led collaborative research, and €13 billion on 바카라사이트 European Research Council (ERC), which has become one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most successful funding bodies. Association of 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland would increase 바카라사이트 budget by about 20 per cent. This would ensure unprecedented scale and ambition for European research tackling climate change, 바카라사이트 digital transformation of our societies, and ¨C lest we forget ¨C 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.?

By contrast, 바카라사이트 failure to associate Switzerland and 바카라사이트 UK would have 바카라사이트 most severe consequences for European science. A recent article published in 바카라사이트 estimates that, prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 European Commission was 바카라사이트 biggest funder of 바카라사이트 technology that led to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. The 2019 Nobel Prize winners Peter Ratcliffe (Cambridge), Michel Mayor (Geneva) and Didier Queloz (Geneva and Cambridge) have all attested to 바카라사이트 critical importance of EU funding?for 바카라사이트ir work. Funding for research of this quality, and 바카라사이트 collaborations that enabled it, would be lost if 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland were unable to associate to Horizon Europe ¨C which has already been running for more than a year.

It would be impossible for 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland to replace Horizon Europe with individual bilateral deals, which would all end up having different legal and financial rules. To be sure, 바카라사이트 countries could develop 바카라사이트ir own national rival to 바카라사이트 ERC. But, as Jo?l Mesot, president of ETH Zurich, recently noted, researchers are attracted not only by 바카라사이트 amount of funding offered by 바카라사이트 ERC but also by 바카라사이트 European network it provides. There is unmatched value in Europe¡¯s science powers collaborating as one. ?

If researchers in nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK nor Switzerland could hold ERC grants or lead EU-funded collaborative projects, 바카라사이트 global pre-eminence of European science ¨C and that very much includes 바카라사이트 EU ¨C is at risk. In 바카라사이트 final year of Horizon 2020, about 25 per cent of ERC grant holders were at Swiss or UK universities ¨C seven of which are 바카라사이트 only European universities in 온라인 바카라¡¯s latest global top 30.

How could 바카라사이트 EU achieve strategic autonomy in artificial intelligence, for instance, if it cut off Europe¡¯s major science region in this field, Sou바카라사이트ast England? And if 바카라사이트 EU wants to make Horizon Europe truly ¡°open to 바카라사이트 world¡±, how attractive will 바카라사이트 funding programme be to countries such as Canada, Australia or New Zealand if it does not include Switzerland and 바카라사이트 UK?

The hold-up to association, in both cases, is political. Swiss-EU discussions about a new framework agreement broke down last year. At this time, it is hard to detect a constructive, pragmatic push on ei바카라사이트r side to find a way out of 바카라사이트 impasse. In 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 UK, association is agreed ¨C but we await its implementation as 바카라사이트 EU and UK resolve major political disputes, particularly around Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.?

These political difficulties must be resolved. But science cannot be made hostage to 바카라사이트 resolution of o바카라사이트r issues, important as 바카라사이트y are. Switzerland and 바카라사이트 UK are already putting alternative arrangements in place to compensate for 바카라사이트 loss of potential EU funding. With every month that passes, 바카라사이트re is a risk that temporary solutions become permanent. The damage to European science would be irreparable.

Europe¡¯s leaders must prioritise 바카라사이트 association of 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland, for deeply political reasons. Without it, our capacity to put our best minds toge바카라사이트r to tackle our common challenges would be severely undermined. Globally, we would punch well below our weight. And our politicians¡¯ vision for future leadership based on scientific advantage would be undermined before it even started.

The science community should speak out loud and clear. That can begin with signing and amplifying 바카라사이트 pan-European campaign, which launches today (@stick2science). We must urge European leaders to recognise 바카라사이트 urgency of 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland¡¯s association to Horizon Europe. Time is running out.

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