Why is the UK paying billions into the EU again?

Disappointing – EU Science Commissioner visiting London means we are overpaying

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2024

The UK had an excellent UK alternative set up for scientific research – a key UK strength

On Monday 12 Feb 2024, the Bulgarian EU Commissioner Илиана ИвановаIliana (anglicised as Iliana Ivanova) came to London to celebrate the UK’s funding of ‘Horizon Europe’ – the EU’s research programme. She met the UK’s Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan MP, as well as meeting industry leaders.

A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Series

Part I – Why is the UK paying billions to the EU again? (This report)
Part II - Why should scientific powerhouse Brexit Britain subsidise the EU’s scientists?
Part III – Who needed the EU? – Brexit Britain had a vibrant new scientific research programme ready

Today Brexit Facts4EU.Org reminds readers of the excellent ‘Pioneer’ scientific research programme set up by the UK Government to replace ‘Horizon Europe’.

This was then ditched by Rishi Sunak after he gave in to the EU by agreeing to the ‘Windsor Framework’, after which the EU Commission lifted its illegal boycott of the UK’s participation in Horizon.

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova said:

“My message to British researchers and innovative businesses is simple and clear: Apply! Thousands have succeeded before, joining forces with European partners, advancing science, boosting academic careers and business growth. I look forward to seeing many more UK beneficiaries in the Horizon Europe programme in the years to come.”
- EU Commissioner Ivanova, 12 Feb 2024

With the UK as a world leader in science, no wonder they wanted us and our money

The UK has four of the top ten universities in the world, and the second-highest number of Nobel prize winners. A quarter of projects in which the UK participated, funded through Horizon’s predecessor, were UK-led.

The UK’s science sector is so far ahead of the EU’s as to make the latter’s look microscopic. The simple fact is the EU needed the UK’s scientists far more than the UK needed the EU’s. Despite this, the UK's 'Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation' saw fit to produce an image which can only be described as something worthy of the pre-2016 days, before the British people voted to leave the EU.

In Parts II and III of this report we will provide more facts and question why the Prime Minister has once again aligned the UK with the EU.

About the Bulgarian EU Commissioner Илиана ИвановаIliana

Despite being the EU’s ‘Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth’, Ms Ivanova has precisely no experience of either science, innovation, or research.

Aged 48, her entire career has been spent in politics, specialising in finance. She has been in Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission for just over a year, since 19 September 2023.

As readers know, Commissioners are appointed, not elected. As such it might have been hoped that someone experienced in science and/or education would have been appointed to this role. Because a Bulgarian had to be selected in order to represent all 27 EU countries, it was the Bulgarian government who nominated Ms Ivanova and Ursula von der Leyen went along with this.

Observations

Rishi Sunak says he voted Leave in the EU Referendum and of course we take him at his word. All we can say is that if the PM was a Brexiteer, we never saw sight nor sound of him during the campaign.

To re-align the UK with the EU for another programme and to pay billions for the privilege is deeply troubling for us. Science is an area in which the UK excels and has a global reputation. With the new ‘Pioneer’ programme already set up and funded, why change it after just two years?

Please read Parts II and III of this report, coming shortly.

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[ Sources: UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation | EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 17 Feb 2024

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Reader Comments 7

1. Ashley Great Britain , Saturday, February 17, 2024, 09:39:

It feels like really bad news this.
Leaving the EU was supposed to allow us to go our own way but participate with them if beneficial.
Another case of the rejoiner blob getting their own way.
Pioneer was a spectacular idea for Britain and promised Great things for scientists and the country.
Now we're going to be ploughing millions (again) into the EU for little to no gain. All our work and advancements will be rebadged as EU progress.
The ousting of the Conservatives can't come soon enough, And Labour needs to be put in a straight jacket. We desperately need Reform UK.

2. Sparky , Saturday, February 17, 2024, 16:06:

Feels like good news to me. This is an area where the UK has good skills and an industry that will be stronger by working with international partners whether that is the ESA or NASA as well as developing independent projects.
.
Quote from the ES. "Rishi Sunak unlocked rejoining (Horizon) by agreeing a separate agreement with the EU over Northern Ireland in March. He said on Thursday that Horizon was the “right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers”".

3. jon iivesey , Saturday, February 17, 2024, 18:30:

2. Sparky , "Feels like good news to me. This is an area where the UK has good skills and an industry that will be stronger by working with international partners whether that is the ESA or NASA as well as developing independent projects."
Except, of course, that US projects tend to actually, you know "work", whereas the EU has a habit of sinking billions into projects like ITER, which has seen its target budget rise from E5bn to E18-20bn, and its target date for full fusion has slipped out from 2023 to 2035, a delay of more than a decade. The UK has, wisely I think,m decided not to "invest" any more money in a European project which is supposed to be about advanced Physics, but is being held up by basic mechanical engineering and project management botches. By the way, if you look at the EU's ITER web-page, it boasts about how much progress ITER has made by listing how many people are employed on it and how much money it has spent.
In a similar vein, the UK's Tempest manned/unmanned fighter and drone program is getting more integrated with the US future combat aircraft program, which is actually making progress and has prototypes flying, while the French/German program is still held up as they argue over who should have design leadership, which is basically a contest between German money and French pride.
The sugary pablum Europeans exude about cooperation being a good thing misses the point that if you are going to cooperate, you should do so with people who know what they are doing.

4. jon iivesey , Saturday, February 17, 2024, 18:57:

We've been reading for weeks about the US/UK defensive program in the Red Sea, and the large number of drones and cruise missiles they have shot down. This week the EU has announced "Operation Aspides" which is supposed to create a European Task Forces to start doing the same job.. I say "supposed to" because when you read about it the key word that jumps out is "unclear".
Quotes "Created by the European Union, Operation Aspides (Greek for shield) will be commanded by Italy and headquartered in Greece. It is unclear at the moment how many nations will provide assets".
Another "Greece, France and Italy have also agreed to participate, according to EU News, but it is unclear whether that means providing ships, aircraft or both."
A month late, and they can't yet say clearly who will participate and what assets they will contribute.

5. jon iivesey , Saturday, February 17, 2024, 20:54:

The news on "Operation Aspides" is even worse than I thought. The Yemenis are launching $10k drones against warships armed with a limited number of million Dollar missiles. The only way you can make that work economically is to take out the drones on the ground and also the launch pads before they are used to launch drones, because you can do that with aircraft and bombs, which is what the US and UK have been doing.
And the EU reaction? "Purely defensive in nature, it will remain “proportional to the existing threat” and “will not involve any attack on Yemeni territory”, explained Josep Borell."
That is insane. You might as well tell the Yemenis "Use our ships for target practice". The Yemenis are not idiots. They will soon figure out that if their territory is immune to attack, they can gradually wear down the armament of the warships - which cannot be reloaded at sea - and then take a warship out with a saturation attack.

6. jon iivesey , Sunday, February 18, 2024, 02:34:

2. Sparky , . "Rishi Sunak unlocked rejoining (Horizon) by agreeing a separate agreement with the EU over Northern Ireland in March. He said on Thursday that Horizon was the “right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers”".
The Windsor Framework removed almost all of the petty EU inspections that were causing discontent in NI, and 72% of DUP voters back Donaldson’s decision to return to Stormont, and the TUV vote share stands at only 6% with SF still stuck at 30% where they have been for decades. You try to make it sound as if the WF is some "price" we had to pay, but in reality it has turned into a significant win, and has got Stormont up and running gain as a bonus.
And this Horizon program you are drooling over is really pretty small beer. We pay in L2bn a year with a guarantee that UK Science gets at lest that much back. and since we would have spent that L2bn on UK Science in any case, it is a wash, fiscally. And by the way, this is about giving UK Science access to European programs and facilities. It is not takeover of UK Science by the Europeans.

7. Ashley Great Britain , Sunday, February 18, 2024, 09:56:

2 sparky.
-
Pioneer would have done just that. We would have collaborated and worked with others around the world, But it would have been under our control and to our benefit. Now we will be paying the EU who invariably take over, Re badge our work, And force us into projects that do more for the EU than the UK.
That is exactly like EU membership. The ballot paper said "Leave the European Union" Not slightly leave then rejoin things that the cons/labour fancy.
Only Reform UK would sort this out to our benefit first and foremost.

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