Erasmus+ Programme and Horizon Europe

(asked on 13th January 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of future involvement for the UK in Erasmus and Horizon programmes they hope to establish after leaving the EU; what has been the financial contribution by the UK to those specific programmes in each of the last five years; and how much has been awarded, in total, to the UK from those programmes in each of the last five years.


Answered by
Baroness Berridge Portrait
Baroness Berridge
This question was answered on 24th January 2020

This government values the strong collaborative partnerships that we have across Europe in the areas of science, education, research and innovation and want to continue to support these opportunities.

The terms of the Withdrawal Agreement mean that the UK will continue to participate in EU Programmes financed by the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) until their closure. Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ are EU programmes financed during this MFF period.

UK organisations, scientists, researchers and businesses will be able to continue in these programmes and receive EU grant funding until the end of 2020 and for the lifetime of individual projects.

We will continue to collaborate with the EU on scientific research and education and we’ve been clear that where it is in the UK’s interests, we will seek to participate in some specific EU programmes, such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. The Political Declaration agreed with the EU in October 2019 demonstrates a shared intent between UK and EU leaders to agree a framework that supports collaboration in science and innovation.

The shape and content of EU programmes post-2020, including Horizon Europe and Erasmus+, are currently being negotiated in the EU Institutions and have not yet been finalised. These EU programmes must be adopted by the EU before any potential formal negotiations on association could begin.

As a Member State, the UK does not contribute financially to specific programmes. Member States pay for participation in EU framework programmes through the general UK contribution to the EU Budget.

The following table indicates the amount of Horizon 2020 funding awarded to UK organisations:

Year (grant signature)

Horizon 2020 funding awarded (excl. Euratom Research & Training)[1]

2014

€ 394 million

2015

€ 1,477 million

2016

€ 1,344 million

2017

€ 1,074 million

2018

€ 1,069 million

2019

€ 820 million

Total

€ 6,179 million

[1] Data source: European Commission, https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/horizon-dashboard - accessed 14/01/2019. Accessed 14/01/2019

Please note totals of the table will not be accurate due to rounding.

With regards to Erasmus+, the most up-to-date information on funding results is held by the UK National Agency which is attached and can be found at the following link under ‘Statistics for the UK 2014-2018’: https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/statistics.

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