It said the delays prevented the UK from gaining access to Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation, and Copernicus, the Earth observation program that provides data on climate change. Other systems affected include the Euratom nuclear research program and access to space surveillance and monitoring. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, also a front-runner for the Tory leadership, said the EU was “in clear breach of our agreement by repeatedly seeking to politicize vital scientific cooperation by refusing to finalize access to these important programmes”. He added: “We cannot allow this to continue. That is why the UK has now launched formal consultations and will do whatever is necessary to protect the scientific community.” Image: The Euratom nuclear research program has been affected Ministers have written to the European Commission to start dispute settlement procedures after the UK negotiated access to a range of EU science and innovation programs as part of its post-Brexit trade deal with the EU in 2020. However, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that now 18 months have passed and the EU is “still refusing to finalize UK access”, which it said was “severely damaging research and development both in the UK Kingdom as well as in the EU Member States”. Labor accused the Tories of “picking up rows with the EU to appeal to their Tory base” as Ms Truss faces Rishi Sunak to replace Boris Johnson. Ms Truss said: “The EU is in clear breach of our agreement by repeatedly seeking to politicize vital scientific cooperation by refusing to finalize access to these important programmes. We cannot allow this to continue. “That is why the UK has now launched formal consultations and will do whatever is necessary to protect the scientific community.” Earlier this month, a cross-party group of peers in the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee concluded in a report that the government’s international science policy “was somewhat incoherent”. He warned: “The link to Horizon Europe has not been secured, which risks further damaging the UK’s reputation and jeopardizing the quality of its science base.” European Commission spokesman Daniel Ferry said: “The Commission takes note of the UK’s request for consultation and will follow up on it in accordance with the applicable rules as set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.” Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, said: “Both the EU and the UK need to show more flexibility, but the Tories’ reckless and transgressive approach to protocol is helping to prevent Britain joining Europe’s Horizon project of 80 billion funds vital scientific innovation and research. “Instead of continuing the pattern of initial spats with the EU to appeal to the Tory base, the next Prime Minister should sit down with all parties to defuse tensions and find a deal in the national interest.” Earlier this year, the EU took legal action against the UK for failing to comply with the Northern Ireland Protocol, as the government introduces legislation that threatens to override the deal after Brexit.
