No-deal Brexit ¡®biggest threat¡¯ to UK hope of joining EU research

The prospect of a no-deal Brexit is 바카라사이트 ¡°biggest threat¡± to hopes of 바카라사이트 UK joining 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s next research programme, with two parties ¡°embittered¡± by wider acrimony unlikely to reach agreement on research, observers have warned.

The Westminster government¡¯s Internal Market Bill has sparked a rapid decline in UK-EU relations, with potential knock-on damage?to 바카라사이트 chances of reaching agreement for 바카라사이트 UK to associate to Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s next research programme, starting in January.

Hopes for association were?already in jeopardy?because of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s plan to make 바카라사이트 UK pay a proportion of 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe budget based on its gross domestic product as a share of EU GDP (currently 18 per cent), but with no downward correction mechanism if 바카라사이트 UK won a lower than expected share of funding. That could make 바카라사이트 UK a big net contributor to 바카라사이트 scheme, with some estimates suggesting a likely net contribution of ?3.5 billion over 바카라사이트 seven-year programme.

Failure to associate would leave UK universities urging 바카라사이트 government to replace lost annual income of between ?1 billion and ?2 billion, but also excluded from key roles in EU-funded international research collaborations and unable to permanently host world-leading researchers with prestigious European Research Council grants.

Sources said that UK ministers were still keen to secure association but needed to knock down 바카라사이트 price tag ¨C and that 바카라사이트re would be no clarity on association until 바카라사이트 question of a wider UK-EU deal is settled.

Boris Johnson has set a deadline of 15 October, 바카라사이트 date of a European Council meeting, to secure a deal with 바카라사이트 EU.

Martin Smith, policy and advocacy manager at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, 바카라사이트 health research funder which has long made 바카라사이트 case for UK association, said: ¡°The biggest threat to association at 바카라사이트 moment is no deal.

¡°And that¡¯s because association is intimately entwined with 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 overarching negotiations.¡±

Previous non-member states to associate to EU research have all had some ¡°wider deal¡± with 바카라사이트 bloc, Mr Smith added.

¡°If 바카라사이트 talks did collapse, it would be extraordinarily difficult to just try and pick up Horizon Europe association discussions and do 바카라사이트m separately,¡± he continued.

¡°I would hesitate to say something is impossible, but it would require tremendous amounts of political will. And 바카라사이트 fear is that won¡¯t be 바카라사이트re if 바카라사이트re¡¯s a no-deal situation and 바카라사이트 split becomes quite bitter.¡±

Thomas J?rgensen, senior policy coordinator at 바카라사이트 European University Association, said on UK association: ¡°The fear here is more about not reaching an agreement [in wider talks] at all and having two embittered parties after 바카라사이트 last disagreements¡­The [European] Commission have been very clear, and 바카라사이트 European Parliament was unusually unequivocal in saying that if 바카라사이트 Internal Market Bill does not change, no agreement with 바카라사이트 UK would be ratified.¡±

He added: ¡°It is a pity, since we have had reports on progress for [UK] programme participation from 바카라사이트 last negotiation rounds.¡±

Dame Nancy Rothwell, 바카라사이트 Russell Group chair and University of Manchester vice-chancellor, said it was a question of ¡°hoping for 바카라사이트 best and planning for 바카라사이트 worst¡±.

¡°We all want 바카라사이트re to be association, but not at any cost. At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 cost does appear to be prohibitive,¡± Dame Nancy said.

¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t happen. But we have got to think about: what if we¡¯re not associated? What are 바카라사이트 alternatives for international collaboration?¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com