The United Kingdom will rejoin the European science program Horizon, from which it was excluded after Brexit, Downing Street and the European Commission announced today.

According to the Commission, the UK will contribute up to almost €2.6 billion per year on average for its participation in the Horizon program and the Copernicus aspect of the space program.

“The European Commission and the United Kingdom today reached a political agreement on the United Kingdom’s participation in the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program and in Copernicus,” the Commission said in a statement.

“The EU and the UK are important partners and strategic allies and today’s agreement proves that,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We will continue to be at the forefront of global science and global research,” he added.

The UK’s participation in Horizon had been negotiated in 2020, but London had denounced persistent delays, which it blamed on long-standing disagreements over trade provisions with Northern Ireland.

The British government announced for its part that it had concluded an agreement with the EU, under which European researchers can from today apply to participate in research projects under the scheme, “with the certainty that the UK will participate as fully associate member”. The UK will also be linked to the Copernicus Earth observation programme, according to Downing Street.

Highlighting the wealth of “experience and expertise” that scientists have to offer on the world stage, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak underlined for his part that this deal “unlocks unparalleled research prospects” and represents “the right deal for the British taxpayer » because London will not pay for the research programs that the UK is excluded from from 2021.