Reports suggest Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce that the UK will rejoin the European Union (EU)’s £85 billion Horizon science research programme.

The scheme is a collaboration involving Europe’s leading research institutes and technology companies.

It would allow UK-based researchers and innovators to apply to most Horizon Europe funding opportunities on the same terms as EU-based applicants.

The programme was initially launched in 2021 with a budget of 95.5 billion euro (£81.8 billion), with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) issuing more than 2,000 grants worth more than £1 billion by April 2023.

The Government negotiated membership of the programme in the Brexit withdrawal agreement but the EU went back on the deal after disputes emerged over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Negotiations to rejoin the programme have been ongoing.

The scheme, which runs until 2027, is open to all types of organisations across Europe and the world.

It provides funding for research and innovation across three core pillars – Excellent Science, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, and Innovative Europe.

Some funding calls allow a single organisation to apply but many require a team of organisations to form a consortium.

Usually, the consortium must be made up of at least three organisations from different countries.

Among other things, researchers may be able to get funding for projects that involve global challenges and industrial competitiveness including health, culture, creativity and inclusive society, civil security for society, digital, industry and space, and climate, energy and mobility.