London is urging Brussels on Monday to allow British researchers access to European scientific research programmes, as foreseen in the post-Brexit trade deal.
London is urging Brussels on Monday to allow British researchers access to European scientific research programmes, as foreseen in the post-Brexit trade deal. This is the message that the British Secretary of State for Europe, Leo Docherty, has to send to the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union and the United Kingdom, which is taking place this Monday in London.
This assembly brings together elected members of the European Parliament and the UK whose job it is to oversee the application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which sets the rules for relations between the two parties post-Brexit.
“Win win”
“The UK’s participation would be a win-win for the UK and the EU, but the UK cannot wait any longer,” said Leo Docherty, according to excerpts of his speech leaked to the press. “The European approach creates unbearable uncertainty for our researchers and our companies,” he insists.
London sees the delay as a violation of the post-Brexit deal and has entered into formal consultations with Brussels under the deal’s dispute settlement provisions. Conversely, Leo Docherty’s speech is intended to praise EU-UK cooperation in responding to Russia’s war in Ukraine.