Existing grant agreements involving Russian public bodies to be terminated
The EU has stepped up its academic sanctions against Russia, citing “the escalation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”, following recent revelations of atrocities including the execution of civilians.
Research commissioner Mariya Gabriel announced on 8 April that she had asked her European Commission services “to terminate ongoing grant agreements and subsequent payments to Russian public bodies or related organisations” under the EU’s Horizon Europe R&D programme and its Euratom nuclear research and training programme.
Last month, Gabriel had announced that the Commission would only “suspend” payments to Russian entities under existing contracts, as well as suspending the preparation of grant agreements for four projects involving Russian organisations under Horizon Europe and putting on hold the signing of any new contracts.
Whereas the previous statement imposed sanctions only regarding Horizon Europe, the latest statement said the participation of Russian public entities or related organisations in the EU’s Erasmus+ academic mobility programme would also be terminated, along with all payments through the programme.
Gabriel said that R&D fellowships through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions scheme and European Research Council grants “will in principle remain possible”, but that there would be “a thorough screening against the EU sanctions list”. Student and staff exchanges will likewise remain eligible subject to a check against sanctions, she said.
Two days earlier, the Commission published a recommendation for EU member states on the recognition of academic and professional qualifications among people fleeing the invasion of Ukraine. It said that member states should “promote fast, flexible and efficient recognition procedures” and ensure that national recognition centres have the resources they need for their increased workload.