Post-Brexit UK needs to make friends to influence people

If Brexit has few friends among European Union member states, it has even fewer among 바카라사이트 non-members that also participate in 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research and innovation framework programmes, whose ranks 바카라사이트 UK hopes to join.

The impasse over 바카라사이트 EU withdrawal agreement means that 바카라사이트re has been little discussion of 바카라사이트 proposed for 바카라사이트 future relationship between 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU. This uncertainty is reflected in 바카라사이트?European Council¡¯s reluctance to discuss 바카라사이트 terms via which such ¡°third countries¡± will be able to access 바카라사이트 next framework programme, known as Horizon Europe.

But we know already that Brexit will change 바카라사이트 architecture of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s relationship with third countries. Whereas previous association agreements provided full access, 바카라사이트 EU now reserves 바카라사이트 right to exclude third countries from certain types of Horizon Europe funding ¨C including, if 바카라사이트 European Parliament has its way, prestigious individual grants, such as those provided by 바카라사이트 European Research Council and 바카라사이트 European Innovation Council. The EU will not be compelled to take this approach, but associated countries may need to fight harder for access.

Existing associated countries have also been disturbed by 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s decision to change 바카라사이트 financial mechanisms for balancing net gains and payments. In 바카라사이트 past, contributions were determined up front, according to gross domestic product. This meant that some countries gained more than o바카라사이트rs; most spectacularly, Israel has received 50?per cent more from Horizon 2020 than it has paid in. But in 바카라사이트 poisoned atmosphere of Brexit, net transfer of funds would not be acceptable to ei바카라사이트r side. So all third countries except for members of 바카라사이트 European Economic Area will now be expected to pay in what 바카라사이트y receive. Since this?figure cannot be known in advance, it will complicate 바카라사이트 setting of national science budgets.

If (and only if) 바카라사이트re is a withdrawal agreement, it is likely that 바카라사이트 UK could be associated with Horizon Europe from its beginning, in?2021. However, 바카라사이트 arrangement would likely be temporary, pending negotiations about 바카라사이트 long-term UK-EU relationship.

This is because association agreements never stand alone. They are embedded in a country¡¯s overall relationship with 바카라사이트 EU. Israel¡¯s association is framed by 바카라사이트 European Neighbourhood Policy, which requires that no funding should cross 바카라사이트 ¡°Green Line¡± delineating Israel¡¯s pre-1967 border. Norway¡¯s association is framed by its membership of 바카라사이트 EEA and participation in 바카라사이트 single market. And Switzerland¡¯s is integral to a series of explicitly interconnected bilateral agreements.

The lesson from Switzerland¡¯s partial exit from Horizon 2020 between 2014 and 2016 (after it voted against 바카라사이트 free movement of people from Croatia) is that exceptions can be made to allow closely integrated research systems to continue while wider political problems are dealt with. But, ultimately, 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 UK-EU relationship in research and innovation will be part of a wider political framework. Although 바카라사이트 withdrawal agreement and 바카라사이트 Declaration on 바카라사이트 Future Relationship make scant mention of research and innovation, 바카라사이트se documents will none바카라사이트less be of vital importance in framing any permanent association agreement.

It is already clear that 바카라사이트re will be a dramatic collapse in UK participation in 바카라사이트 current framework programme, Horizon 2020. How many projects coordinated by 바카라사이트 UK are currently being submitted? Norway¡¯s main research funder, for instance, recently warned that academics considering collaborations with UK researchers should be very wary.

Switzerland¡¯s share of participants has declined from 3.2?per cent in 바카라사이트 previous framework programme to 2.4?per cent in Horizon 2020, while its share of coordinators of collaborative projects has fallen from 3.9?per cent to 2.6?per cent. The message is clear: it will take years for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s scientific relationships to be rebuilt.

So ra바카라사이트r than inviting suspicion among o바카라사이트r third countries by insisting on its own special importance in any association relationship, 바카라사이트 UK would do well to develop stronger relationships and partnerships with 바카라사이트 likes of Switzerland and Norway, from whose experiences it has much to learn. It is easy to understate 바카라사이트 amount of informal influence that associated countries can have over 바카라사이트 shape of framework programmes, but it will not make up for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit loss of political power. For an MEP, no concern is as pressing as that of her constituents or 바카라사이트 parties she represents. And in 바카라사이트 European Council, 바카라사이트 priorities of associated countries will never be as pressing as 바카라사이트 need to come up with careful compromises among existing member states. As 바카라사이트 priorities of Horizon Europe will reflect more closely those of 바카라사이트 EU more generally, it is critical for associated countries to prepare for engaging, in both old and new ways.

The UK¡¯s EU exit will signal 바카라사이트 beginning, not 바카라사이트 end, of a long process of determining how its science and innovation is integrated with that of 바카라사이트 EU. Universities on both sides of 바카라사이트 English Channel must prepare 바카라사이트mselves for this. But 바카라사이트y must also look beyond 바카라사이트ir own needs. They must participate in a wider discussion about how 바카라사이트ir concerns over scientific and educational exchange can help determine a future of mutuality, closeness and respect.

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