The UK Science Minister reiterated that his goal is to participate in the new Horizon Europe research program after Brexit, but acknowledged that the UK may have to “fill in the gaps” in some areas of research funding.
The United Kingdom is a net contributor to the general EU budget, and a net beneficiary of funding from the current Horizon2020 research program. However, the associated countries (no longer EU members) will not be allowed to make more money than they actually contributed to Horizon Europe. This means that while even a Brexit without agreement will not exclude the country’s continued involvement in Horizon Europe, British researchers may not get as much from the EU as they have achieved so far in terms of research and development funding.
The fate of Brexit, at present, should be defined by 31 October 2019. If there were no agreement, UK scientists could no longer benefit from funding from the European Research Council or Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions, which provide up to 45% of the total EU scientific funding from Great Britain.
Some scientists fear, as an inexorable consequence of the great victory of Nigel Farage’s pro-Brexit party at the recent European elections, that Brexit without agreement is now a real possibility. Still others hope that the Brexit will be completely revoked.
We need to wait for the next decisions to know the fate of research and development in the United Kingdom.