A result no one wants

UK and Swiss lockout from EU R&D is starting to bite

More than 3,500 people, including 250 leaders of universities, research institutes and funding agencies, have now backed a campaign urging an end to the delay to UK and Swiss association to the Horizon Europe R&D programme. As Eric Labaye, the president of École Polytechnique Paris, summed up in support of the Stick to Science movement: “The cooperation between scientists from all European countries is essential to address the most pressing scientific and societal challenges, and to drive innovation.” 

So while it is encouraging that talks over Canada, New Zealand and South Korea joining the programme are going well, this must not detract from the urgency of efforts to overcome barriers to UK and Swiss participation in multiple European programmes that are essential for researchers. Especially as the damage wrought by political holdups is starting to show in earnest.