Research and Innovation community urges European leaders to take action on Horizon Europe

The campaign, ‘Stick to Science’, calls for an open and collaborative research and innovation landscape in Europe, that is free from political barriers. The entire European scientific community is invited to sign this initiative as of 8 February under the dedicated website www.stick-to-science.eu.

It comes at a moment that the UK’s and Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s research and innovation programme continues to be stalled by politics. The UK’s final association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s €95.5 billion (CHF 99.1 bn, £79.4 bn) research and innovation programme, remains tangled up in post-Brexit trade arrangements, while Switzerland also remains locked out of parts of the programme, pending government talks. In both cases, the EU is putting political disputes ahead of science collaboration.

Switzerland and the UK are two long-standing and academically important partners in the European research and innovation landscape. The current situation means that the work of some of the best minds in Europe's science and excellent research infrastructures are missing out on the additional scientific knowledge and resources of UK and Swiss institutions. These circumstances prevent Europe’s top scientists from working together to tackle global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and food security.

UK and Switzerland, if to be associated, are estimated to add another €18 billion (CHF 18.7 bn, £15 bn)[1] to the Horizon Europe budget of €95.5 billion (CHF 99.1 bn, £79.4 bn) representing a top-up of 18%, and allowing greater collaborative resources for Europe to be put into world-leading research projects.

Among the first supporters of the campaign from across the European research and innovation community are among others Nobel Prizes winners, Fields medalists, entrepreneurs and innovators, research funding/performing bodies and umbrella organisations, heads of higher education institutions and research institutes, in total comprising over 200 individuals from the whole Europe who have pledged support for the campaign so far.

Hampering science collaboration across borders risks a long-lasting effect on European society, warn the campaign’s supporters.

Professor Kurt Deketelaere, LERU Secretary-General, said:

"The quick association of Switzerland and the UK to Horizon Europe is vital to continue close collaboration and to tackle the many societal challenges that lay ahead of us. A further delay simply for political reasons is unacceptable."

Watch Professor Deketelaere's full statement in the video below.

Professor Luc Sels, Rector, KU Leuven:

"Full engagement of Switzerland and the UK in Horizon Europe is essential to realise our scientific ambitions. Science knows no borders, especially when it comes to cooperation with our partners in these two countries. They have been so crucial to the impact of our research."

Professor Sari Lindblom, Rector, University of Helsinki:

"On behalf of the University of Helsinki: Academic collaboration in Europe, and beyond, should not be held captive by politics. It is very much in the interest of EU and its member states to facilitate smooth association of both Swiss and UK universities into Horizon Europe."

Professor Sylvie Retailleau, President Université Paris-Saclay:

"It is essential that R&I collaboration remains possible at European level in order to keep Europe competitive."

Professor Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor, Lund University:

"The UK and Switzerland are inseparable parts of the European research community."

[1] Source: Gov.uk: Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021; SERI, Facts and Figures on the Swiss Participation in the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation