Britain has ended nearly two years of logjam in scientific collaboration by rejoining the Horizon Europe programme which drew applause from UK researchers and SMEs.
Britain is rejoining the European Union’s $100 billion science-sharing program Horizon Europe, the two sides announced Thursday, more than two years after the country's membership became a casualty of Brexit. British scientists expressed relief at the decision, the latest sign of thawing relations between the EU and its former member nation. After months of negotiations, the British government said the country was becoming a “fully associated member” of the research collaboration body U.K.-based scientists can bid for Horizon funding starting Thursday and will be able to lead Horizon-backed science projects starting in 2024.
Britain and the EU said on Thursday they had struck a pact to allow British scientists back into the world's largest civilian science research programme after being frozen out in a post-Brexit row.- 'Great day' -
The deal means that UK researchers can apply immediately for grants and bid to take part in projects under the Horizon scheme, which is the world's largest civil research and innovation programme.