• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Universities warn losing EU research scheme is ‘political self-harm’

Academics warned that the UK will lose valuable collaboration on issues like climate change if it's shut out of Horizon Europe.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2022-06-01 14:02
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Universities have warned that the UK could lose access to a major EU research programme and that losing membership would be an act of “political self-harm”.

A group of 140 universities represented by Universities UK have raised concerns that the UK Government is set to scrap membership of the Horizon Europe scheme.

In a letter to European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, the universities call for support in “resolving the urgent issue” of the UK’s links with Horizon Europe and other EU science programmes.

It points out that the links were agreed in the UK and EU’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

‘Lose-lose’

The letter says that researchers have been waiting for 17 months for the arrangement to be confirmed, and that the delay is “keenly felt” by both UK and EU universities.

It adds that many members have reported being forced to leave research groups “working on projects that would have a tangible positive impact on European and global prosperity, like improving climate data and addressing food security in sub-Saharan Africa”.

The universities say that if the UK scraps membership to Horizon Europe, it would be a “lose-lose for health, wealth and wellbeing” adding that both the UK and EU must work together so that “our ability to collaborate in science is not compromised by unrelated political disputes”.

RelatedPosts

Nearly a third of Leave voters think Brexit is going badly

Billy Bragg calls on ‘wet wipe’ Starmer to ‘up his game’

Johnson: Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he were a woman

That backfired! Steve Bray’s legal fund balloons after police confiscate speakers

The letter, written by Professor Paul Boyle, vice-chancellor of Swansea University and policy lead for Research and Innovation on the Universities UK Board, describes the situation as being “close to the precipice”, adding that the UK Government appears to be moving towards a decision to scrap the scheme, possibly as early as June.

Horizon debate

Horizon Europe has a budget of 95.5 billion euro (£81.2 billion) and is the EU’s most important funding programme for research.

The UK’s membership was agreed through the 2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement but universities argue access is being blocked because of ongoing disagreements over Brexit.

Vivienne Stern, the director of Universities UK International, said that the EU is “blocking the UK’s association to Horizon Europe because of disputes about the Northern Ireland Protocol”.

“That has nothing to do with science. Keeping the UK out hurts everyone – because good research depends on us working together on the big challenges, like diseases and climate change.

“It is an act of political self-harm to sacrifice European collaboration with the UK. Science should not be used as a political bargaining chip and we are running out of time for everyone to realise that.”

Related: Manufacturing growth grinds to halt as Brexit bites

Tags: Brexit

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Thunderball Results for Saturday 2 April 2022 Tonight’s winning numbers

Gordon Brown backs Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour leadership bid

Rachel Riley wins £10,000 damages after suing ex-Corbyn aide

Head to Cologne to experience a real German Christmas Market

Toddler Times: The Road Trip

Three bags to make your co-workers coo

Hundreds of residents on Channel Island fear having to flee within weeks

Two multiple shootings in two nights outside London tube stations

DVD Review: Mustang

Brexit must ‘damage’ UK, French PM tells EU as fishing row intensifies

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.