Given the on-going uncertainty and widespread misapprehensions about the eligibility of UK-based applicants to participate in EU research and higher education funding programmes, Universities UK (UUK) have issued a briefing note summarising the current position.

The key message is that, despite the UK’s decision to leave the EU, nothing has changed in terms of the UK’s status in EU programmes including Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+. UK-based applicants are therefore encouraged to continue to work with collaborators across the EU in developing applications for funding under both programmes.

The agreement on Phase One of the negotiations for the UK’s exit from the EU – announced in December 2017 – clarifies that the UK will continue to pay into the EU budget up until the end of the current budget period in 2020 and therefore there will be no change in the UK’s status in relation to these programmes until 2021 at the earliest.

Even in the event of a “no-deal” scenario at the end of the second phase of negotiations, the UK Government has committed to underwrite UK participants on all successful bids made by UK applicants to Horizon 2020 (and all Erasmus+ grant agreements signed) while the UK remains in the EU.

A full copy of the briefing note is available to download below. Please feel free to pass this information on to your EU-based collaborators, especially if they are in any doubt about UK-based applicants’ eligibility to apply for EU funding.

UUKi Briefing note on HE&R collaboration through EU programmes

If you have any questions about any aspect of applying for EU research funding, please don’t hesitate to contact Stephen Parkinson in the Research Development Team.

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