Artist’s rendition of science – skovoroda/123RF Stock Photo
There is huge concern within the UK science and business communities that the country is about to walk away from the Horizon Europe research programme, the Copernicus Earth Observation (EO) Programme, and the Euratom nuclear programme.
Last week George Freeman, Science Minister and MP, was in Europe talking about this issue. The UK’s participation in all three schemes were agreed in principle within the overall Brexit deal signed in December 2020, but final approval has become entangled in post Brexit issues on the Northern Ireland Protocol. With the Government issuing proposals this week that effectively break the agreement the they and the Prime Minister signed up to, it is difficult to see much of a spirit of co-operation to resolve these issues.
It’s obvious we are coming to a decision point. As is the case in almost all Brexit issues, the Government announces how much they are going to spend on something and how they have plans to set up world beating alternatives and these issues are no different. However, the truth is nowhere near their bluster.
Horizon Europe Science Research Programme
The European Union’s Horizon Europe research programme is the largest of its type in the world. It’s a global programme with countries such as Norway and Switzerland participating as associate members, with others such as Japan, Canada and South Korea looking to join. If the UK walks away it will not be included.
According to recent reports the uncertainty is causing issues for researchers, with grants being conditional on the UK joining the programme. Without such agreement the grants will be cancelled, and so organisations/researchers are being asked to move to an EU country to continue to receive them, and UK researchers are losing out on leadership roles in projects.
The Government has recently extended its commitment to underwriting Horizon Europe funds until the end of December 2022. However, alternative plans are also being drawn up, including establishing a British global research programme underpinned by the money allocated for Horizon Europe – expected to be around £15 billion. However, funding promises are simply words, as the county of Cornwall recently experienced when their replacement EU funding offer was only 44% of what was originally promised. With everything the world has experienced recently, monetary promises should be taken with a large pinch of salt. Given the number of global countries that are participating in Horizon Europe, on top of Europe itself, it is difficult to see how the UK will be able to develop such a programme. The global research community focus will be on Horizon Europe.
The other two parts of the alternative research world include world-class fellowships backed with a fast-track visa system – something we hope will be more efficient than the system set up for Ukrainian refuges; together with stronger industry and innovation focus, although this will need to be co-funded by industry itself.
The problem with plans and aspirations is that no-one knows if they are ever going to be fulfilled, and if they are, whether they will remain close to the original idea. This uncertainty will have its greatest impact on early career scientists who may be drawn to the bigger and more certain programme of Horizon Europe, meaning the UK could lose out on the country’s brightest graduates for the next few years.
Copernicus Programme
In terms of the Copernicus Programme in the EO industry, while the Minister reinforced that the UK is 100% committed to the Programme, the reality is similar to that for Horizon Europe. This was highlighted by a recent letter from the chair of The British Association of Remote Sensing Companies to the Science Minister, which highlighted the potential for job losses in the industry due to the uncertainty.
The alternative plans being established in this field include the UK playing a greater role in the European Space Agency (ESA) and using the £750 million allocated for Copernicus to other EO projects. The minister suggested there’s ‘no shortage of customers’ for EO data, and he is true for the free-to-access global data of Copernicus and Landsat, these are the big programmes for EO researchers supported by commercial satellites.
It will be interesting to see what approach the UK Government takes nationally, at the forthcoming ESA ministerial in November, for EO.
Future
Despite all the words and promises from the Government and Ministers, if the UK walks away from these programmes, it will significantly weaken the country’s position as a leading scientific research nation. The Brexit agreement has already had many causalities and it seems that scientific research and Earth Observation could be the next ones on the gurneys.
