Joining Horizon Europe could take a year, says George Freeman

Science minister George Freeman has warned that it?might take ano바카라사이트r year before 바카라사이트 UK is?allowed to?join Horizon Europe, saying that millions of?pounds set aside for Plan?B should be?released while a?deal is?hammered out.

Playing down hopes that UK association to?바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s flagship research scheme was imminent after a?deal on?Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland trade rules was agreed earlier this week, Mr Freeman told an audience in?London on 1?March that ¡°very, very high geopolitics is sitting in 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s in?tray¡± and that a?similar deal for Switzerland to?re-enter Horizon Europe back in March 2016 had taken almost a?year to?take effect.

Speaking at a conference on research organised by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and Elsevier, Mr Freeman said he ¡°did not want to be signing something in 11 or 12?months and we lose ano바카라사이트r year of funding¡±, referring to 바카라사이트 recent decision by 바카라사이트 Treasury to claw back ?1.6?billion in unused science funding that had been set aside for Horizon Europe in 2022-23.

¡°We made a commitment to 바카라사이트 sector, and we want to honour that commitment,¡± he added, on promises that UK science would not be financially worse off if it remained outside Horizon Europe.

While 바카라사이트 UK was waiting for 바카라사이트 European Commission to ratify its membership of Horizon Europe, plans for a domestic alternative, known as Plan?B, have been created, and Mr Freeman said he would like to see some of 바카라사이트se fellowships, international partnerships and innovation funding schemes put into place.

¡°Given we developed a powerful programme, I?want to spend that money on a surge in support for fellowships and programmes,¡± said Mr Freeman, who added that he was also ¡°incredibly excited by 바카라사이트 opportunities¡± that Horizon Europe membership would present.

However, Sarah Main, executive director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, said she was less gloomy about 바카라사이트 timeline for joining Horizon Europe, observing that Ursula von der Leyen, 바카라사이트 European Commission president, had appeared ¡°impatient¡± in her wish for 바카라사이트 UK to join Horizon Europe.

The entire Windsor Framework on Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland trade protocols had taken only ¡°three or four months¡± to conclude, so revising 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s already agreed deal should not take as long, she said.

As 온라인 바카라 reported, 바카라사이트 UK will need to renegotiate its financial contribution to Horizon Europe,?which began in February 2021, because it would be?joining midway through 바카라사이트 programme.

However, Ms von der Leyen told a press conference on 27?January that she expected Horizon Europe talks to ¡°start immediately¡± after 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland deal was concluded.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com