Since its foundation, The Guild has been actively advocating for scientific collaboration across borders. It is imperative for the success of Horizon Europe, and for European science as a whole, that the UK and Switzerland can contribute fully to the programme. This would give Horizon Europe unprecedented scale and scientific quality, enabling Europe to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and boost competitiveness and growth.
On 7 September 2023, after nearly three years of delay, the Government of the United Kingdom and the European Commission announced an agreement in principle for the UK’s full association to Horizon Europe. We are thrilled to see Prime Minister Rishi Sunak setting out the encouraging benefits of this agreement at The University of Warwick, one of three universities based in the UK that are part of The Guild’s membership of 21 distinguished universities from across sixteen countries in Europe.
The Guild, as part of a wider network of key organisations of universities and research funders in the UK and Europe, welcomes the announcement of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the EU is open to implementing UK association to Horizon Europe. The Windsor framework constitutes a major milestone in EU-UK relations, and it is a critical step towards safeguarding scientific collaboration across borders.
The signatories of the joint statement now emphatically call on the political will and commitment to finalise UK association to EU R&I programmes, and to do so without delay.
The Guild joins top researchers and the heads of higher education institutions across Europe in calling for an open and collaborative research and innovation landscape that is free from political barriers.
The signatories of the ‘Stick to Science’ campaign urge the European Council, Parliament, Commission, as well as European Union Member States, and the governments of the UK and Switzerland, to rapidly realise the UK’s and Switzerland’s association agreements to Horizon Europe.
Testimonials from The Guild's Rectors
Further statements
Other voices
- Not agreeing UK Horizon Europe entry would be spectacular political failure - opinion piece by Jan Palmowski | 25 July 2023
- Researchers and business leaders are pressing the U.K. and EU to secure Horizon association ASAP - Politico news article on UK joint statement | 2 March 2023
- Division in Science is a luxury Europe cannot afford - opinion piece by Jan Palmowski | 13 September 2022
- Lack of political will could undermine UK’s plan B - Research Professional op-ed by Jan Palmowski | 25 July 2022
- Global Crisis requires Scotland and the UK to have a European mindset - The Scotsman opinion piece by Anton Muscatelli | 28 June 2022
- How Political is Science? - opinion piece by Jan Palmowski | 7 June 2022
- UK and Swiss Association to Horizon Europe: Myths and False Assumptions - opinion piece by Jan Palmowski | 14 February 2022
- The UK and Switzerland must be admitted to Horizon Europe - Times Higher Education op-ed by Jan Palmowski | 08 February 2022
- Horizon Europe association is still a win-win - Research Professional op-ed by Jan Palmowski | 11 November 2021
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Horizon Europe needs new rules for association - Times Higher Education op-ed by Jan Palmowski | 11 November 2020
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On the day before Brexit - opinion piece by Stuart Croft | 30 January 2020
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UK non-participation in Horizon Europe is becoming ever more possible - Times Higher Education op-ed by Jan Palmowski | 4 November 2019