The UK is reportedly on the verge of agreeing a deal to rejoin the European Union’s £84bn scientific research programme, Horizon, having been frozen out after Brexit.
British and European officials are understood to have concluded a draft agreement, following a major breakthrough in talks, according to The Times.
However, the paper reported that Rishi Sunak – who is said to be sceptical about Horizon’s worth – will only approve a deal if it is value for money.
Universities have seen their research funds plummet since the UK left Horizon, which offers huge grants to scientific projects tackling major issues such as climate change and cancer treatment.
Up until the UK formally left the EU in 2020, British universities were some of the biggest beneficiaries of research funding, with Oxford netting €523m (£460m) during the last iteration of the scheme, while Cambridge securing €483m (£433m).
The collapse in funding sparked fears of a major brain drain, as the EU became a more attractive destination for academics and scientists to conduct their research.
The scientific community has repeatedly called for the PM to give his support for rejoining the scheme.
“There has been very significant progress over the last few months,” a source told The Times. “It is now just about squaring the circle from the technical point of view.”
Another source said that Downing Street wanted to avoid Labour exploiting the issue ahead of the general election.
Negotiations on the UK rejoining Horizon as an associate member began in February following the signing of the Windsor Framework, which seeks to resolve issues affecting post-Brexit trade and rules in Northern Ireland.
A Whitehall source told The Times that the main outstanding disagreement related to the level of compensation due to the UK for being locked out of Horizon for the past two years.
Brussels had admitted it was in breach of a trade and co-operation agreement, the source added, but a deal on the level of discount the UK should be given on its contribution had not yet been reached.
A Government spokesman told the paper: “Talks with the EU are ongoing and no deal has been agreed or finalised. Whilst our preference is to associate with Horizon, any deal must be value for money for taxpayers and in the best interests of UK science and research.”
