UK's Return to Horizon Europe: A Boost for Scientific Collaboration
After three years of uncertainty, the UK is to re-join the European Union’s (EU) Horizon Europe scientific research programme as an associate member. UK scientists will once more be able to apply for Horizon Europe funded grants on the same terms as researchers from other member countries, promoting scientific research and innovation in the UK and Europe.
Horizon Europe: An Overview of the €95.5 Billion EU Research Programme
With a budget of €95.5 billion, Horizon Europe is a seven-year EU programme which aims to promote scientific and technological development in Europe, for example by providing grants to individual researchers and cross-border scientific collaborations in member countries. In particular the programme focuses on promoting collaborative research for technologies related to global challenges such as health and climate change. The multilateral research programme involves more than 40 countries, made up of both EU member states and associate members, such as New Zealand, Israel and now the UK.
Significance of UK's Associate Membership in Horizon Europe
Although associate membership was agreed after the UK formally left the EU in 2020, the UK has been excluded from the programme for the last three years over disputes between the UK and EU regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol. This was a blow to UK scientists; prior to Brexit the UK was one of the top beneficiaries of Horizon Europe funding and scientific collaboration across Europe important to innovation. The return of the UK to the programme is therefore much welcomed by the UK’s scientific community.
Intellectual Property in Focus: Horizon Europe's Impact on Innovation
A key aim of Horizon Europe is to promote the transfer of research into marketable innovations and promote development of innovative companies. In line with this, Horizon Europe recognises the importance of intellectual property rights in the commercialisation of innovative technologies. Beneficiaries under the programme need to examine the possibility of protecting their results and must adequately protect them under the Grant Agreement. Collaborative projects, such as those promoted by the programme, bring together individuals with different business and strategic objectives. Determining an IP strategy early on in a collaborative project is encouraged by the Horizon Europe programme to successfully commercialise innovations.
The development of a strategy to manage intellectual property is a key resource when developing scientific innovations into marketable technologies. Our attorneys at Secerna LLP have expertise in working with clients to develop an effective and personalised strategy to manage their intellectual property portfolio.