Royal Society response to guarantees on EU grant funding

In response to the announcement today of guarantees on EU grant funding, Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, said:

"Today’s announcement that the government will underwrite the value of any European grants awarded to UK researchers for the full award period is something the Royal Society has consistently argued for since the referendum and is very welcome.
 
By ensuring that UK-based researchers will remain funded for the full duration of any EU grant that is awarded during the upcoming negotiations, this measure removes the uncertainty in the funding status of UK-based researchers. It will thus ensure that European colleagues can confidently collaborate with UK-based researchers, who can also  participate fully in European research programmes.
 
Individuals, investors, and our collaborators in the EU and around the world are making decisions over where to work, whom to work with and where to invest every day. Today’s announcement sends a strong message that Britain remains open and collaborative.
 
This is important because to do world-leading science, UK researchers need to work with talented people, wherever they are. Moreover, while the UK is a world leader in many areas of science, many of the global challenges we face can only be tackled by countries working together.
 
The Royal Society is committed to working with its counterparts in the EU and the rest of the world and I hope that over the coming years the UK will strengthen the ability of its researchers to do so. It will be important to maintain the overall level of funding for UK research, attract the best global talent to the UK and strengthen the ability of UK researchers to work with others around the world."

The Royal Society has had confirmation of the details of the guarantee in a letter from the Science Minister Jo Johnson (PDF).

Find out more about the Royal Society's work on Brexit and UK science.