Pioneer Group welcomes the news that the UK is rejoining the Horizon Europe research programme. UK-based scientists and institutions can apply for money from the £81bn fund today (Thursday, 7^th September 2023).

In the government’s announcement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated: “We have worked with our EU partners to make sure that this is the right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers.”

The UK will also associate with Copernicus, the European Earth Observation Programme.

Dr Glenn Crocker MBE, Director at Pioneer Group, said:

“Life sciences remains a critical contributor to the UK economy, so it’s very welcome news that the government has agreed to re-join the EU’s £95 billion Horizon programme. Science is an international endeavour and cross-border collaboration enables researchers to pool their knowledge and share information that could lead to new discoveries.

“This renewed association with the EU’s flagship programme will also allow UK organisations to return to playing a key role in European research after several years on the sidelines. Moreover, the advancement of scientific knowledge itself will benefit from the inclusion of the UK research base, which is one of the strongest in the world, leading to developments that will benefit human and planetary health, the two areas at the heart of Pioneer’s mission.”

What is Horizon Europe?

With a budget of £81bn, Horizon Europe is the EU’s key programme for research and innovation and one of the biggest funders of scientific research on the planet. As well as creating jobs, engaging the EU’s talent pool, and promoting industrial competitiveness, the programme aims to:

• Tackle climate change and other global challenges
• Boost economic growth
• Facilitate collaboration
• Optimise investment impact within a strengthened European research area
• Support the creation and better dispersion of knowledge and technologies
• Help to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals

Why did the UK leave Horizon in the first place?

The UK was locked out of Horizon in 2020 following the government’s failure to implement the Northern Ireland protocol trade arrangements in the Brexit withdrawal agreement. This effectively ended our access to Horizon’s funding pot and the programme’s unparalleled routes to international partnerships within and beyond the EU.

One hundred fifteen grants for UK scientists and academics that had previously been approved were terminated in the fallout. British scientists could still partner with international projects funded by Horizon but could not serve as the lead investigator.

When the Northern Ireland protocol was finally resolved earlier this year in the Windsor Framework, a deal for Horizon was expected to follow swiftly. Still, negotiations have dragged painfully on, with the main sticking point around the amount of money the UK had to pay the EU for the association, having missed the programme’s first two years.

Plan B – going it alone

Pioneer, known as the “Plan B” research programme, was the government’s backup option if the UK could not secure an association deal on “fair and appropriate terms”. Unveiled in April 2023, it was designed to rival Horizon Europe. However, while the programme has some positive aspects, it simply did not match up with Horizon Europe.

Any alternative to Horizon had to counterbalance the disruption and uncertainty caused by these years of delay. The UK cannot match, or even come close to, an investment set aside for Horizon Europe. Researchers would continue to be prevented from playing a leading role in directing the course of European science.

We, therefore, welcome the news that the Prime Minister has secured a bespoke deal and confirmation that the UK will be participating as an entirely associated member for the remaining life of the programme to 2027.