The UK and Switzerland are striking a deal on science collaboration as both countries continue to be blocked from a major EU scheme as political tensions indicate that the two nations have been shut out from the EU’s multi-billion pound Horizon programme, according to BBC News.
There are no fresh funds as part of the UK-Swiss deal, but Swiss ambassador to the UK Markus Leitner described it as a “political signal” to researchers to deepen existing ties and find new projects.
The agreement will be finalized on Thursday in London and will focus on areas including artificial intelligence and turning academic discoveries into start-up businesses.
The UK and Switzerland have been trying to join the EU’s key funding scheme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, which has a budget of €95.5bn over the six years to 2027.
The UK left the EU in January 2020 and membership of Horizon has been held up in a dispute about post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, with London accused of treaty breaches.
Switzerland has never been a member of the European Union, but has dozens of bilateral deals with Brussels instead. Full Swiss participation of Horizon has been blocked after Switzerland rejected plans for an overarching treaty with the EU.
The EU programme brings together leading academic and industrial researchers from across member nations. People based in third countries can participate but cannot usually lead projects or access EU funds.
Ambassador Markus Leitner said the UK-Swiss deal was “separate” from its efforts to join Horizon, which remained a priority.
The UK’s associate membership to Horizon was agreed in principle under a Brexit treaty, called the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. However, the European Commission has repeatedly pointed out that no binding deadline for association was specified within that agreement.