Britain ready to pay to stay in Euratom and EU research programme

The UK wants to ‘fully associate’ with Europe’s science and innovation programmes – including the research arm of Euratom – which the government told the EU last year that it would leave. In the first firm commitment on the government’s goals for scientific research cooperation after Brexit, the prime minister, Theresa May, said it was ‘in the mutual interest of the UK and the EU’ to cooperate closely. She added that the UK would ‘willingly pay’ an appropriate financial contribution.

In a speech at the Jodrell Bank observatory in Cheshire, May also insisted ‘we would look to maintain a suitable level of influence, in line with that contribution and the benefits we bring’. Participation in EU programmes including Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 cost around £2 billion in 2016.