It’s usually the other way around, but now the UK wants to take the EU to court. It seeks access to European research projects and European grants for scientific research.
By the end of 2020, the European Union and the United Kingdom have agreed that researchers from British and European universities will continue to work together. The deals are part of a trade deal between the EU and the UK when it leaves the EU. But those agreements were not fulfilled. The UK is now giving the EU one more month or else legal action will continue.
There is great discontent in the British consular community. “We are very disappointed,” it rings with a British sensibility.
Because Brussels does not bring the necessary funding for scientific research. The British government has so far offered that amount, but says it cannot continue forever.
New Brexit stirs attention with upheaval
At least that’s what the British say. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is in the running to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. He has Brexit in his portfolio and is hoping to draw the attention of members of the Conservative Party to him with a new Brexit rally in August.
Brussels has yet to officially respond to the British complaints, but the European side is likely to hear that the United Kingdom specifically consults itself when it breaches agreements with the EU. Last year it fell short and in the spring Prime Minister Johnson scrapped a key part of the Brexit deal. He was concerned with the clauses on trade between the Irish and the British Isles, but it actually invalidated all treaties, including those relating to science.
According to the British, science can be separated from other Brexit agreements. After all, non-EU countries participating in the Horizon, Copernicus and Euratom programs participate in the three grant schemes in question.
Fifteen billion pounds
Like other non-EU countries, the United Kingdom has agreed to contribute a certain amount to those funds. That’s about £15 billion over seven years. Researchers from the United Kingdom were given the right to apply for research grants in return. But under those agreements it never came to final signature.
As a result, the European agency paying the money could no longer honor British applications. In recent months, several researchers in the United Kingdom have received letters warning them that their research grants are at risk.
Among them, for example, microbiologist Teresa Thurston, who researches salmonella bacteria in London. she said Science He will receive £1.5m from the Horizon programme, but was told by letter that he must find a partner university in mainland Europe or risk losing his scholarship.
She decided to stay in London, where she has children. Now the British government pays for its subsidy, but it has lost the European network. “This is outrageous because the EU will continue to be obliged to pay under Article 7.31,” the British government said.
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British scientists threaten to lose EU grants
Brexit will have an irritating tailwind for top scientists at British universities who have recently been awarded European research grants. They have to move to the EU to keep that scholarship.
