Three years after Brexit: The UK returns to the European Horizon and Copernicus research programmes

The return to Horizon has been negotiated for months, and the agreement was reached last night during a phone conversation between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Three years ago, during Brexit itself, negotiations were also held about continued participation in Horizon, but those reached an impasse as long as there were differences of opinion over the trade agreement and Northern Ireland.

Now, according to the British government, a new “tailor-made” agreement has been signed with the European Union. From today, British researchers can again apply to participate in Horizon research projects. The European Research Program allocates a budget of 95 billion euros to scientific research.

In addition to Horizon, the UK is also once again participating in Copernicus, part of the European Space Programme. The Earth is continuously monitored via satellites to collect information about climate and environment. The UK will contribute an average of €2.6 billion annually to the European budget for the Horizon and Copernicus projects.