Joint letter to Chancellor and BEIS Secretary of State on Horizon Europe association

The IOP, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Society of Biology have written a joint letter to the Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, highlighting the huge importance of Horizon Europe for UK and EU researchers, and why the government should continue to seek association.

With the recent ministerial changes in government, uncertainty around the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and funding for alternatives remains.

Association to Horizon Europe is a vital enabler for continued growth as a science and innovation world leader, openness to international collaboration and attracting the best global talent.

UK-based researchers have been hugely successful in previous European Framework Programmes and in the initial Horizon Europe calls.

The joint letter urges the government to:

i. Continue to ringfence the funding set out in the Autumn 2021 Budget for association to Horizon Europe or for alternative programmes if necessary.

ii. Publish the immediate arrangements and the funding profile for the period either until association to Horizon Europe is agreed or until long-term UK alternatives are operational. This should include an extension to the UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee, full funding for Third Country Participation to Horizon Europe and uplifts to current domestic grant and fellowship programmes.

iii. Engage with the wider research and innovation community on long-term alternatives and set out multi-year spending plans and profiles, to give the private sector confidence to invest in UK research and innovation.