Brexit

Knowledge and understanding don’t stop at borders. Nations will always achieve more together than separately, whatever the legal agreements that exist between them. 

We advocated for a Brexit settlement that included UK access to EU research funding, reciprocal immigration arrangements for researchers, and continued cooperation on life sciences regulation.

2020

December

• We welcome the announcement of a trade deal between the UK and EU. The deal confirms the UK will participate in Horizon Europe.

November 

• Our Policy & Advocacy Manager, Catherine Guinard, gives evidence to the House of Lords EU Committee(opens in a new tab) on the impact of the future UK-EU relationship on research and education.

October

• Wellcome’s Director, Jeremy Farrar, co-signs letters to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson [PDF 77KB] and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen [PDF 78KB] calling for compromise in the Brexit negotiations.

July

• We sign a statement with more than 100 organisations and researchers from across the UK and the EU to set out how negotiators could secure a strong outcome for research: Reaching an agreement on UK participation in Horizon Europe [PDF 107KB] [PDF 107KB].

February

• We analyse the composition of the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s technical staff [PDF 542KB] to see how future immigration reform could affect the workforce.

January

• We publish a report on our work with economic think-tank Breugel to simulate a UK-EU deal for research and our recommendations for negotiators: A post-Brexit agreement for research and innovation [PDF 317KB] [PDF 317KB] 

2019

November

• We publish a briefing on why the UK should associate to Horizon Europe [PDF 240KB], the EU's €100 billion research and innovation programme.

May

• We respond to Sir Adrian Smith’s consultation: Future frameworks for international collaboration on research. [PDF 197KB]

February

• We explore options for the regulation of clinical trials in the UK after Brexit. 

January

• We respond to the Science and Technology Committee's consultation: Brexit, science and innovation: preparations for 'no-deal' inquiry [PDF 694KB].

2018

December

• Our Head of UK and EU Policy, Beth Thompson, gives evidence to the House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee on the impact of Brexit on funding for research. Read the written submission [PDF 479KB].

November

• We publish an updated Brexit and Beyond briefing [PDF 530KB], outlining our recommendations on UK-EU science and innovation post-Brexit.

October

• We explore the impact of funding from the EU Framework Programmes in a series of case studies [PDF 35KB].
• Our Director, Jeremy Farrar, writes an opinion piece for the Observer(opens in a new tab) warning of the damage to medical research from no-deal Brexit.

June

• We respond to the Science and Technology Committee's consultation: An immigration system that works for science and innovation [PDF 568KB]

May 

• With 11 other organisations, we sign a joint statement [PDF 532KB] and publish a paper [PDF 482KB] on ways to improve collaboration between the European Commission and private foundations.
• We explore how to include science in the framework for a future UK-EU relationship [PDF 764KB]. 
• Our Head of UK and EU Policy, Beth Thompson, gives evidence to the Brexit Select Committee on a future UK-EU relationship.
• We set out our position on what the next EU Framework Programme should look like [PDF 385KB], in order to improve European research.

February 

• We publish Building a strong future for European science: Brexit and beyond, setting out our view on how a new UK-EU research partnership should work and drawing on what we learned from 200 organisations and individuals through the Future Partnership Project.

January 

• Alongside the Royal Society, we bring together 30 European research leaders [PDF 780KB] at Chicheley Hall. We present our Future Partnership Project consultation and evidence synthesis, and produce a joint vision for a practical and ambitious future UK-EU partnership. 
• With the Intergovernmental Network for Government Science Advice, we host a roundtable event [PDF 297KB] to explore the future of UK-EU scientific and technical advice, and evidence-informed policy making. 

2017

December 

• Alongside Science Europe, we host a private dinner in Brussels [PDF 289KB] to identify priorities for a future UK-EU partnership. The Royal Society hosts a parallel dinner in London the following day. 
• In a joint statement, we back calls for the government to ensure post-Brexit immigration rules will allow the UK to continue to recruit highly trained technical staff.

November 

• We launch the Future Partnership Project consultation [PDF 231KB] with the Royal Society, to seek views from across Europe on what a future UK-EU partnership for research and innovation should look like. 

October 

• We invite individuals working in research organisations in the UK, Canada, Israel, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland to discuss the future of international collaboration [PDF 406KB], including Framework Programme 9. 

September 

• The UK government outlines their position on a future research and innovations partnership(opens in a new tab) with the EU. Our Director, Jeremy Farrar, responds in a comment piece in The Times. 

August 

• The UK government releases a range of position papers on customs arrangements, legal arrangements and data protection(opens in a new tab) following Brexit. Natalie Banner highlights the importance of continuing to share data in Research Professional(opens in a new tab). 

June 

• As the formal negotiations on the UK’s exit from the European Union begin in Brussels, Jeremy Farrar outlines what science needs to thrive post-Brexit.

May 

• A report commissioned by eight leading UK medical organisations highlights how partnerships between UK and EU medical researchers have increased the value of research, benefiting patients across Europe.

April 

• In a letter to the leaders of UK political parties, we outline three areas that the government must consider to sustain scientific excellence in the UK.  

March 

• Article 50 is triggered, starting the formal process of the UK leaving the EU.
• We publish an update from Jeremy Farrar on our position and work to make sure science flourishes in a post-Brexit world.  

January 

• Jeremy Farrar sets out the critical issues that need to be resolved for the UK to attract the world’s finest scientists in a joint comment article in The Times with the Director of Cancer Research UK, Harpal Kumar.
• We give evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry: Brexit: regulation and standards (oral evidence(opens in a new tab)).

2016

• We give evidence to two House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiries: Leaving the EU: implications and opportunities for science and research (written(opens in a new tab) and oral(opens in a new tab) evidence), and EU regulation of the life sciences (written(opens in a new tab) and oral(opens in a new tab) evidence).
• We give evidence to the House of Lords inquiry: The relationship between EU membership and the effectiveness of science, research and innovation in the UK (written(opens in a new tab) and oral(opens in a new tab) evidence). 

• Catch up with news about our work to influence European Union policy.