University of Cambridge: Cambridge academics urge European leaders to take action on Horizon Europe

The campaign, Stick to Science, calls for an open and collaborative research and innovation landscape in Europe that is free from political barriers.

It comes as the UK’s participation in the EU’s research and innovation programme has stalled. Negotiations over the UK’s final association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s €95.5 billion (£79.4 bn) research and innovation programme, are part of post-Brexit trade arrangements. Campaign organisers are urging the EU to put science collaboration ahead of political disagreements and finalise association as soon as possible.

Switzerland and the UK are two long-standing and academically important partners in the European research and innovation landscape. The current situation means that the work of some of the best minds in Europe’s science and excellent research infrastructures could miss out on the additional scientific knowledge and resources of UK and Swiss institutions. These circumstances could prevent Europe’s top scientists from working together to tackle global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and food security and already the delay in securing association is having an impact on collaborations.

It is estimated that the UK and Switzerland would add another €18 billion (£15 bn) to the Horizon Europe budget of €95.5 billion (£79.4 bn) representing a top-up of 18%, and allowing greater collaborative resources for Europe to be put into world-leading research projects.

Among the first supporters of the campaign from across the European research and innovation community are Cambridge’s Professor Toope, Professor Dame Athene Donald, Master of Churchill College, and Nobel Prize winner Professor Didier Queloz.