Many in the university sector are committed to the European idea and regret the UK’s exit from the Union. There is widespread concern about how this will affect the strong links in research, education and innovation between the UK and the rest of Europe. However, having avoided a chaotic “no-deal” Brexit allows for clarity about the next steps in the negotiation and about the new relationship between the UK and the EU.
This briefing gives an overview of what has already been agreed and the further process towards the future relationship between the EU and the UK, with a focus on areas relevant to universities.
2020 will be a year of complex and interconnected negotiations and legislation processes that will shape the relation between the EU and the UK for the years to come.
In the grand scheme of things, research and education are relatively simple areas as both parties agree on the end goal of keeping a very close relation through UK association to EU programmes.
However, the way to get there is made complicated by a very short timeframe, which runs parallel to other highly complex and related policy processes within the EU such as the MFF negotiations.
It is important to note that the Withdrawal Agreement, the Political Declaration and the transition period all mean that cooperation can continue as normal after 31 January and hopefully with few changes after 2021. The way may be winding, but the direction is right.
The full briefing paper is available here.
This article was first published 22 January 2020 by the European University Association.
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