Barnier hints at progress for UK-EU R&D ties, but remains worried

Lead EU negotiator reiterates agreement is ‘unlikely’ before end of transitional UK departure

The EU’s lead Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has reported progress on the section of negotiations that includes the UK’s R&D collaboration with the bloc, albeit without referring to R&D specifically and in the context of broader concerns that the talks are moving “backwards”.

The two parties “were able to make progress on technical issues” in some areas discussed this week, “for example, on…participation in Union programmes”, Barnier said on 21 August. This is the section of the negotiations that covers potential UK participation in the EU’s 2021-27 R&D and mobility programmes Horizon Europe and Erasmus+.