Brussels, 15 November 2023
The Council today gave its green light to UK participation in the EU’s Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes, approving the agreement in principle reached between the Commission and the UK government on 7 September 2023.
According to the agreement in principle, as of 1 January 2024, researchers and organisations in the UK will be able to participate in the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon Europe on equal terms with their counterparts in the EU member states.
The UK will also participate in the EU’s earth observation programme Copernicus and have access to the EU’s space surveillance and tracking services.
The UK’s participation will be subject to all the safeguards of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including the payment of a participation fee into the EU budget.
The Council and the Commission also made a joint statement on today’s Council decision.
Next steps
Today’s Council decision will enable the EU to formalise the agreement in principle reached with the UK by adopting a decision within the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Participation in Union programmes.
The committee, set up under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, is expected to adopt the decision before the end of the year.
Background
The UK’s participation in EU programmes is governed by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which entered into force on 1 May 2021.
The agreement on the Windsor Framework, concerning a new joint way forward on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, has allowed the EU and the UK to turn the page in their relations and deepen their relationship in areas of shared interest.
- Council decision on EU position in the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union programmes
- Draft decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee
- EU-UK relations: Commission and UK reach political agreement on UK participation in Horizon Europe and Copernicus (European Commission press release, 7 September 2023)
- EU relations with the United Kingdom (background information)
Source – EU Council