What is Horizon and why is it important for the UK?
As of the 1st January 2024, the UK formally returned to the Horizon programme. This followed three years of non-membership after Brexit, where UK-based scientists and institutions received no support from the research fund. Best for Britain campaigned for the UK's swift rejoining of Horizon and illustrated the popularity of the scheme amongst the public.
What is Horizon?
Horizon is the EU’s key funding programme for research and development, focused specifically on tackling climate change, reaching the UN’s sustainability targets, creating jobs and producing world-leading research across Europe. The programme supports principles of open science and attempts to solve some of the largest societal issues through an integrated research infrastructure which brings together different stakeholders from the private and public sectors.
Is the UK a member of Horizon?
Yes, the UK fully rejoined Horizon in January 2024 after being excluded from the scheme in the three years prior. The UK had agreed to be an associate member of Horizon following Brexit but had been excluded from funding due to issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol. However, British scientists have expressed their dismay at the length of time it took the previous Government to renegotiate UK membership in a programme which it used to dominate.
What were the consequences of funding to Horizon ending for the UK?
Ultimately, the temporary absence of the UK from Horizon made the country a less attractive destination for research investment, a situation that will take a number of years to reverse. It also locked UK scientists and institutions out of invaluable resources from the Horizon fund for three years. The uncertainty surrounding present and future funding was a cause of great anxiety for researchers and undermined their ability to carry out their work with full efficacy.
Prof Bart De Strooper, a group leader of the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL saying;
“For the past few years we have faced complete uncertainty about what is happening in key research areas. Britain used to dominate the Horizon programme, and it will take a long time to get back to such a position.”
What does membership of Horizon involve?
Horizon acts as a funding pot for scientific research. The UK contributes on average £2.2 billion a year for membership in Horizon and the Copernicus Earth observation programme. Now that the UK is back to being a full member of Horizon, UK-based scientists and institutions are able to apply for funding from the overall £81 billion fund.
Alongside access to Horizon’s £81 billion research fund, membership to the programme enables collaboration between scientists in the UK and EU as they attempt to solve some of the biggest challenges facing society. For example, over the previous round of investment, 84% and 30% of finance went toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and climate change research respectively.
What has been achieved through Horizon funding in the past?
Horizon has a substantial record of success and delivery. Not only is the programme a shining example of the benefits of international cooperation (163 countries were involved in some manner between 2021-23), but the programme has supported 35 Nobel Prize winnersbetween 1985-2023. Horizon has also supported 500 sustainable energy innovations and has invested in more than 200 companies.
What has the UK been awarded from Horizon since rejoining the programme?
Within the first few months of reentering the Horizon programme the UK was awarded £1 billion shared across various fields and projects, from wind propulsion companies, to research into planets outside our solar system, artificial intelligence, clean energy and electric vehicles. The funding has been given to individual researchers such as David Armstrong from Warwick University, institutions like the University of Manchester, and private companies such as Rolls-Royce.
Is Horizon just about science?
While Horizon is primarily focused on maximising scientific research, the programme is also concerned with producing societal and economic benefits. For example, one part of Horizon called the European Innovation Council earmarks 70% of its fund for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Investment into SMEs is crucial as historically these businesses have struggled to access the appropriate finance needed to grow.
What are the Horizon mission areas?
Horizon has five mission areas;
Adaptation to climate change - preparing Europe to deal with climate disruptions.
Conquering cancer - saving more than three million lives by 2030.
Mission Starfish - cleaning Europe’s oceans and waters, restoring degraded ecosystems and habitats.
Climate neutral cities - create 100 climate-neutral European cities by 2030.
Caring for soil - to ensure that by 2030 at least 75% of soil in Europe is healthy for food, people, nature and the environment.
Which countries are part of Horizon?
Alongside the 27 members of the EU, there are 19 other countries who hold membership to Horizon, includingCanada, New Zealand, Ukraine and Turkey.South Korea is expected to join on the 1st of January 2025, and Japan and Switzerland remain in negotiations to join. As Horizon continues to grow in both funding and in contributing member states, it is ever more important that the UK continues to commit to growing our links through science and research.
What is open science?
Horizon supports open science through legal obligations with the grant agreements. Open science is built upon the principle that research is shared early and openly once completed. This practice enables knowledge and data sharing as well as ensuring peer-review and reproducibility of results.
What are the economic benefits of research and innovation (R&I)?
It has been noted by the European Commission that a 10% increase in funding for R&I correlates with a 1.1-1.4% increase in labour productivity. What this means is that if hours worked stays consistent then a 10% increase in R&I funding will lead to an increase of 1.1-1.4% of GDP, a vastly larger absolute increase which illustrates the high level of return of investment from R&I.
What do the public think about Horizon?
YouGov carried out an opinion poll for Best for Britain which found that a large majority of Brits (66%) wanted to remain in Horizon following Brexit, compared to just 13% who wanted to leave the funding programme. Staying in Horizon was popular across the political spectrum, with both Conservative and Leave voters overwhelmingly supporting Britain's membership.
What has the EU said about the UK rejoining Horizon?
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth had the following to say when the UK rejoining Horizon was announced -
“I am happy to welcome the UK back to the Horizon family. This is a real milestone, a clear win-win for both sides and for global scientific progress. Together, we can push further and faster. I have made the association of non-EU countries to Horizon Europe my personal priority, and we are delivering.”
What has the UK Government said on the UK rejoining Horizon?
The former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, when announcing the deal said -
“Innovation has long been the foundation for prosperity in the UK, from the breakthroughs improving healthcare to the technological advances growing our economy. With a wealth of expertise and experience to bring to the global stage, we have delivered a deal that enables UK scientists to confidently take part in the world’s largest research collaboration programme – Horizon Europe.”
This article first appeared on Best for Britain