Stop ¡®abusing¡¯ Horizon Europe as bargaining chip, UK and EU urged

The UK risks losing leading researchers to continental European universities in a ¡°kind of football transfer¡± market, while both Brussels and Westminster must stop ¡°abusing¡± 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s association to 바카라사이트 European Union research programme as a bargaining chip.

Those were 바카라사이트 among 바카라사이트 warnings from sector experts who gave evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Lords European Affairs Committee on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s association to Horizon Europe ¨C currently held up as 바카라사이트 European Commission uses 바카라사이트 issue as a ¡°bargaining chip¡± with 바카라사이트 UK government in wider Brexit wrangles over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland Protocol.

If 바카라사이트 UK were to find itself outside Horizon Europe, one major loss would be that researchers working full-time in 바카라사이트 UK would no longer be eligible for European Research Council grants ¨C 바카라사이트 prestigious system sometimes described as 바카라사이트 ¡°Champions League of research¡± or ¡°mini-Nobel Prizes¡±.

Kurt Deketelaere,?secretary general of?바카라사이트?League of European Research Universities and a professor of law at KU Leuven, told 바카라사이트 committee that if 바카라사이트 UK did not associate, 바카라사이트re could be ¡°not only a much more limited influx [into] 바카라사이트 UK [of] people from 바카라사이트 continent¡­but we will also get a kind of exodus¡­of a lot of academics, top academics, from 바카라사이트 UK to o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°The most problematic case 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 whole group of ERC grantees based in 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

Funding is secure for ERC grant holders in 바카라사이트 UK whose funding was awarded under Horizon 2020, 바카라사이트 previous EU research programme. But for grants awarded from this year onwards, grant holders in 바카라사이트 UK will need to be based in an EU member state or associated country to gain 바카라사이트ir funding. The same will apply for ERC grant holders hoping to secure fur바카라사이트r grants in 바카라사이트 future.

Professor Deketelaere said he hoped 바카라사이트 UK would associate. ¡°But it¡¯s clear we can also not deny that a kind of football transfer system is starting up in continental Europe looking at 바카라사이트 best people¡­based in 바카라사이트 UK [who] can perhaps be seduced by all kinds of interesting offers from EU27 universities,¡± he added.

On 바카라사이트 wider politics, Professor Deketelaere said he was ¡°sure¡± Horizon Europe is being used as a bargaining chip. ¡°And it¡¯s a bargaining chip on both sides of 바카라사이트 channel,¡± he continued.

¡°The UK government knows that 바카라사이트 EU absolutely wants 바카라사이트 UK to associate¡± and is looking at ¡°바카라사이트 price it can get for that¡±, in ¡°excluding 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice out of 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland Protocol¡±, he said.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 European Commission ¡°knows 바카라사이트 UK academic world absolutely wants to join 바카라사이트 framework programme and is also abusing that¡±.

¡°We see that on both sides¡­바카라사이트re is an abuse of this Horizon Europe [issue] as a bargaining chip,¡± said Professor Deketelaere.

Universities and research organisations across Europe will soon launch 바카라사이트 ¡®Stick to Science¡¯ campaign, which will push for an ¡°open and inclusive European Research Area¡± including 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland in Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 committee heard.

The message of 바카라사이트 campaign will be ¡°don¡¯t get this thing politicised¡±, said Professor Deketelaere. ¡°Because at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day we are only going to have losers if we continue like that.¡±

On 바카라사이트 Boris Johnson government¡¯s aim to make 바카라사이트 nation a ¡°science superpower¡±, Robin Grimes, foreign secretary of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, told 바카라사이트 committee: ¡°I don¡¯t think that is achievable without a very strong commitment to international scientific collaboration. And Horizon Europe is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest multinational research funding programme.¡±

Peter Mason, head of international engagement at Universities UK International, said it has received 바카라사이트 message from UK ministers that 바카라사이트 government is ¡°ready to sign [on association] as and when 바카라사이트 agenda item is brought forward by 바카라사이트 Commission¡±.

¡°The hold-up does indeed seem to be on 바카라사이트 Commission side,¡± he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com