UK rejoins Horizon Europe programme as fully associated member

The United Kingdom has rejoined the Horizon Europe programme, as the UK becomes a fully associated member of the programme to 2027. This means that UK researchers can apply for grants and bid to take part in projects under the Horizon programme.

Once adopted, the UK will also be able to join the governance of EU programmes and UK researchers will be able to lead consortia in the next work programme of Horizon Europe projects.

Horizon will give UK companies and research institutions opportunities to lead global work to develop new technologies and research projects, in areas from health to AI. This will not only open up cooperation with the EU, but also Norway, New Zealand and Israel which are part of the programme – and countries like Korea and Canada which are looking to join too.

This follows a call between the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and EU Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen on Wednesday. They are encouraging UK scientists to apply from today and they agreed that the UK and EU will work together to boost participation.

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said: “Innovation has long been the foundation for prosperity in the UK, from the breakthroughs improving healthcare to the technological advances growing our economy.

“With a wealth of expertise and experience to bring to the global stage, we have delivered a deal that enables UK scientists to confidently take part in the world’s largest research collaboration programme – Horizon Europe.

“We have worked with our EU partners to make sure that this is right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers.

“New financial protections for the British taxpayer, especially in the first years of association when UK scientists’ participation will be recovering, ensures:

• UK taxpayers will not pay for the time where UK researchers have been excluded from since 2021, with costs starting from January 2024 – delivering much better terms for 2023. This will also provide breathing space to boost the participation of UK researchers in open calls for grants before we start paying into the programme.
• The UK will have a new automatic clawback that protects the UK as participation recovers from the effects of the last two and a half years. It means the UK will be compensated should UK scientists receive significantly less money than the UK puts into the programme. This wasn’t the case under the original terms of association.”

Secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Michelle Donelan added: “Today is a fantastic day for UK science and our whole economy. We have listened to the sector, and through hard work and negotiation we have secured an excellent deal for researchers, taxpayers and businesses.

“The Horizon programme is unrivalled in its scope and opens up a world of opportunity for cooperation on science that delivers real-world benefits for the UK - creating jobs, boosting our economy and opening up collaboration for the sector with some of our closest partners, whether on tackling climate change or advancing cancer research.

“This deal is a crucial step forward on our mission to become a science and tech superpower by 2030.”

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Horizon Europe association is overwhelmingly in the best interests of cancer patients and scientists, and it is great news for cancer research that agreement has finally been reached between the UK and EU.

"There will be relief throughout the research community that the uncertainty of the last two and a half years has come to an end. Nearly three quarters of respondents to our survey of cancer researchers cited funding from the EU as important for their work, showing how crucial Horizon Europe association is for the future of cancer research.

“We hope that this deal paves the way for the UK’s ongoing participation in future European research programmes. It is essential that the European Commission, the UK Government and UK research funders work with urgency to rebuild the strong position the UK occupied in the Horizon programme and get funds and global collaboration flowing again into our research institutions.”

Professor Paul Stewart FMedSci, Academy of Medical Sciences vice president, clinical, commented: “Today marks a pivotal moment for UK science. After a hiatus, the scientific community is celebrating the tremendous news that we are once more part of the EU’s flagship funding programme.

“By associating to Horizon Europe, we now have the commitment and momentum to drive forward the Government’s vision for an innovative, high growth future and are well placed to support the diverse and highly skilled research talent that underpins our life sciences sector.

“Health research is an international endeavour, it relies on supporting the best ideas, but also on creating cross-border networks which is good news for the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Association sends a very strong message that the UK is open for business and remains a prime destination to work on health research and innovation to improve lives.”

UKRI chief executive professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said: “Today’s agreement on UK association to Horizon Europe is brilliant news. The UK has a long track record of mutually beneficial participation in previous EU schemes and this decision enables us to build on those highly successful collaborations to maximise the opportunities membership of Horizon Europe provides. UKRI is looking forward to working with our communities and partners to capture the many benefits of Horizon Europe for researchers and businesses.”