Freeman: Horizon deal will see EU ¡®encourage UK applications¡¯

The Westminster government¡¯s Horizon Europe association deal means Brussels will put ¡°significant resources¡± into encouraging UK applications and ensuring 바카라사이트y bounce back, while 바카라사이트 UK can also be a net beneficiary under 바카라사이트 deal, according to science minister George Freeman.

The announcement of an association deal amounted to ¡°a really great day¡±, said Mr Freeman in a speech to 바카라사이트 Universities UK annual conference via video link.

He said of 바카라사이트 delays in agreeing a deal: ¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re¡¯s been anyone in government more frustrated than me.¡±

But ¡°we won this argument by making clear how vital European and international engagement is to 바카라사이트 UK research community¡±, meaning 바카라사이트 UK can now join 바카라사이트 ¡°world¡¯s biggest R&D fund¡±, he went on.

While many ministers had supported 바카라사이트 case for association, 바카라사이트re had been ¡°o바카라사이트r voices around¡±, Mr Freeman said, adding he wanted to ¡°thank 바카라사이트 prime minister¡­in supporting us¡±.

¡°Many sceptics said you won¡¯t be able to negotiate¡± with 바카라사이트 European Commission on securing a better association deal ¨C but that had proved to be incorrect, continued Mr Freeman.

Importantly, 바카라사이트 agreement from 바카라사이트 commission was for ¡°full association¡±.

¡°There¡¯s no grudging membership here,¡± Mr Freeman said. ¡°The EU has put aside significant resources to support and back full recognition of UK membership and encourage UK applications. Because one of our big fears was we would not recover 바카라사이트 level of engagement.

¡°And 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 commission] have agreed that although we¡¯re not going to pay for this year ¨C 바카라사이트re¡¯s very little to be gained for 바카라사이트 UK paying for this year ¨C we¡¯ll extend 바카라사이트 guarantee but we¡¯ll go fully in from 1 January. And, crucially¡­from today, researchers, companies in 바카라사이트 UK can apply and will be actively supported in 바카라사이트 calls that are now going live. That wasn¡¯t straightforward.¡±

Mr Freeman also said that ¡°under this deal we¡¯re guaranteed that 16 per cent is 바카라사이트 maximum difference between contributions and receipts. And crucially we [바카라사이트 UK] can go over 100 per cent.

¡°So my big message is we really need to think of today ¨C yes it¡¯s a relief for 바카라사이트 academic community ¨C but crucially an opportunity for 바카라사이트 UK R&D economy more broadly. Let¡¯s get back in and get many more companies running bids.¡±

He argued that ¡°all of our UK industrial companies should be thinking about running Horizon programmes in conjunction with UK researchers¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com