On the brink of a damaging departure from EU research

To do their jobs properly, scientists need stability. They need secure sources of funding. They need to be able to collaborate with other researchers across the globe, without unnecessary barriers.

But there’s a huge question mark hanging over the UK’s involvement in major scientific programmes like Horizon Europe – the world’s largest multinational research fund. UK participation in the EU’s research frameworks was agreed during Brexit negotiations in December 2020. But full association was never rubber stamped, and it won’t be as long as the UK government continues threatening to backtrack on the Northern Ireland protocol – the trade deal it struck with the EU to avoid creating a hard border on the isle of Ireland.