Crick Director Warns UK Has to Join EU Horizon Programme
The UK must be part of the EU's Horizon programme if it wants to achieve its ambition of being a 'science superpower'. That is the warning of Sir Paul Nurse, director at the Francis Crick Institute.
The Horizon programme is a €100 billion scientific research initiative involving collaboration some leading research institutes and technology companies in Europe. Speaking at the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, he said it was "crucial" for the success in UK science. Failure to be a part of it would "see us drifting off into the cold north-east Atlantic by ourselves."
Under the Horizon programme, funds are allocated to individuals and organisations based on merit. EU Member States contribute to the programme, and the UK had negotiated associate membership as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. However, this changed while there were disputes over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
If negotiations to join Horizon fail, the UK Government published a £14.6 billion initiative, called Pioneer, as a Plan B. This would invest the money earmarked for the UK's participation in the Horizon programme in UK science, research, technology, and innovation.
Sir Paul said: "The UK is respected and we had an influence on all the activities that were happening there [when the UK was part of the Horizon scheme] – and we will lose all of that. Plan B does not substitute for it.
"Let's be perfectly clear and frank about it – we will get very lonely and we will not actually have the influence in the world that is appropriate for a science superpower, which I think all political parties and scientists absolutely want."
What Will Happen Next?
Hopefully, Sir Paul's warnings will spur greater impetus into seeing the UK as part of Horizon. This will be win-win for the UK and the rest of the EU.
With a resolution of the situation over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the mood music between the UK and the EU is now much better. The UK Government is certainly hoping that the recent deal on the Protocol will bring participation in the programme a step closer.