Freeman: Horizon deal will see EU ‘encourage UK applications’

The Westminster government’s Horizon Europe association deal means Brussels will put “significant resources” into encouraging UK applications and ensuring they bounce back, while the UK can also be a net beneficiary under the deal, according to science minister George Freeman.

The announcement of an association deal amounted to “a really great day”, said Mr Freeman in a speech to the Universities UK annual conference via video link.

He said of the delays in agreeing a deal: “I don’t think there’s been anyone in government more frustrated than me.”

But “we won this argument by making clear how vital European and international engagement is to the UK research community”, meaning the UK can now join the “world’s biggest R&D fund”, he went on.

While many ministers had supported the case for association, there had been “other voices around”, Mr Freeman said, adding he wanted to “thank the prime minister…in supporting us”.

“Many sceptics said you won’t be able to negotiate” with the European Commission on securing a better association deal – but that had proved to be incorrect, continued Mr Freeman.

Importantly, the agreement from the commission was for “full association”.

“There’s no grudging membership here,” Mr Freeman said. “The EU has put aside significant resources to support and back full recognition of UK membership and encourage UK applications. Because one of our big fears was we would not recover the level of engagement.

“And they [the commission] have agreed that although we’re not going to pay for this year – there’s very little to be gained for the UK paying for this year – we’ll extend the guarantee but we’ll go fully in from 1 January. And, crucially…from today, researchers, companies in the UK can apply and will be actively supported in the calls that are now going live. That wasn’t straightforward.”

Mr Freeman also said that “under this deal we’re guaranteed that 16 per cent is the maximum difference between contributions and receipts. And crucially we [the UK] can go over 100 per cent.

“So my big message is we really need to think of today – yes it’s a relief for the academic community – but crucially an opportunity for the UK R&D economy more broadly. Let’s get back in and get many more companies running bids.”

He argued that “all of our UK industrial companies should be thinking about running Horizon programmes in conjunction with UK researchers”.

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com