International funding, collaboration & chemicals regulation

Science is an international endeavour and collaborative in nature. It can offer the widest benefits to society when researchers from different backgrounds, be that country, sector or discipline, come together to share knowledge and expertise. Participating in EU Science programmes is an important way of achieving this.

UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement

January 2021

The EU and the UK reached a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) on 24 December 2020. This sets the framework for their relationship after the post-Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020.

The agreement confirms the UK’s access to Horizon Europe in exchange for a budget contribution from the UK. This is subject to ratification of the overall TCA and finalisation of the Horizon Europe Programme regulations. Arrangements put in place during the transition period for current Horizon 2020 programmes are unaffected.

Please refer to the Brexit preparedness pages for more information.  You can also read our position on the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Our policy and influencing work

The Royal Society of Chemistry continues to actively engage policy makers to support the best outcome from the UK’s new relationship with the European Union. You can read more about our most recent engagement on our Chemistry & EU exit pages. 

You can explore our previous work on the potential impacts of leaving the European Union on the chemical sciences, within the UK and beyond in the links below.

• No deal briefing (Mar 2019)

• RSC response to inquiry on ‘What will ‘No Deal’ mean for science and innovation?’ (Jan 2019)

• Brexit Science & Innovation Summit (Feb 2018)

• Future Partnership Project (Jan 2018)

• The UK’s Negotiating Objectives for Withdrawal from the EU (Jan 2017)

• Leaving the EU: implications and opportunities for science and research (Jul 2016)

Impacts of Horizon Europe uncertainty on UK chemistry

November 2020

Impacts of Horizon Europe uncertainty on UK chemistry

November 2020

The UK R&D community has been operating in ambiguity for the past 4 years. Despite the UK government’s ambition to be "at the forefront of global collaboration in its R&D", researchers in our community are feeling the reality of long-term uncertainty over future UK participation in EU research and innovation programmes. We have brought together evidence from our community of the impact of this uncertainty:

Alternatives to Horizon Europe Funding

July 2020

If the UK does not associate then domestic alternatives to replace the benefits of Horizon Europe will be needed. From evidence collected on the UK chemical sciences' participation in the current framework programme, Horizon 2020, we have brought together recommendations on what these alternatives might look like:

International collaborations create chemistry

October 2018 and April 2021

We have developed a series of case studies that show the vital role that UK participation in EU science programmes plays in strengthening international collaboration. These stories from across academia and businesses reveal the benefits, not just for the UK, but for partner countries and the international community more widely, helping to develop new medicines, protect the air we breathe and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

The UK immigration system should help employers to attract the skilled workers they need from the global talent pool by removing as many operational barriers as possible, decreasing associated costs and promoting a welcoming atmosphere.

The UK should always seek ambitious reciprocal arrangements with future trading partners on short and long-term mobility for scientists and researchers.

Royal Society of Chemistry position on mobilty and immigration

April 2020

The updated RSC policy position on immigration reaffirms that we remain committed to the easy movement of skilled scientists, and of students, to and from the UK. Our recommendations are:

1. The new immigration system should always seek to streamline the visa application process as much as possible so that it is accessible for employers of all sizes. It should seek to decrease associated costs and promote a welcoming attitude to attract the best and brightest.
2. Science is increasingly international and is best done in collaboration across borders so scientists and researchers are able to exchange knowledge and have access to the best facilities. The UK should seek ambitious reciprocal mobility arrangements with future trading partners across the world in order to enable scientists to move around and to collaborate on both a long and short-term basis.

Doing so will send a powerful message that the UK is committed to its status as a global leader in science and innovation, and that it wants to attract the best and brightest from around the world.

We expect high standards of human health and environmental protection to continue in the UK. Formal mechanisms to ensure the best scientific evidence and advice informs decision-making for chemicals policy must be in place as soon as possible in 2021.  

We encourage active cooperation between the UK and EU on chemicals in terms of data sharing and technical cooperation. 

Regulatory Divergence

February 2020

Following EU departure, the impact on the future of chemicals regulation in the UK must be considered, alongside the possibility of divergence from EU regulations. Any divergence from EU regulations must be based on a harmonised evidence-base, put safety first and placed in the context of a longer-term UK chemicals strategy.

RSC briefing - Regulatory Divergence in the Chemicals Sector

The House of Lords share our concerns regarding a UK Approach to REACH in a no deal Brexit

March 2019

We briefed peers ahead of the House of Lords debate on 26 March, on the establishment of UK REACH regulations via secondary legislative changes to the EU withdrawal bill.

The Royal Society of Chemistry calls for chemicals regulation that achieves a balance between nurturing innovation, protecting the environment and human health, and enabling the UK to trade internationally. Should a no deal scenario arise, we call for pragmatic and evidence-based decision-making that is harmonised with EU outcomes in chemicals regulation.

We have three primary asks regarding the additional responsibilities being transferred to the Health and Safety Executive. We ask that the UK government:

1. Set out its plans to ensure HSE has adequate scientific capability to take on increased decision-making responsibilities and act as the national regulator.
2. Clarify how the UK will seek to aid harmonisation of its scientific evidence base with the EU in a no deal scenario.
3. Set out plans for a fully transparent decision-making process, guided by clear principles. 

Briefing to the House of Lords debate on the REACH SI 26 March 2019

Chemicals Regulation and EU Exit: the need for close partnerships

October 2018

We provided input into the House of Lords EU Exit Energy & Environment Select Committee in the form of two letters into their inquiry on ‘The Future of Chemical Management and Regulation Post EU Exit’. These two letters cover our positions on chemicals regulation as we leave the European Union.

Scientists and good science are at the heart of chemicals regulation.

We call for regulation that achieves a balance between nurturing innovation, protecting the environment and human health, and enables international trade. In particular, we call for

1. Uninterrupted and continued full participation of UK nominated scientific experts in the work of all ECHA’s scientific and technical committees and in the important scientific work of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which underpins chemicals regulation.
2. Effective and continued data sharing: to assist in harmonised decision-making for chemicals regulation.
3. A future partnership in which the EU and UK work together to raise global standards for chemicals regulation.

We ask pertinent questions around data sharing, evaluation and the expert science advice mechanisms that will need to be in place going forward.

RSC Chemicals Regulation Letter 1 (August 2018)

RSC Chemicals Regulation Letter 2 (October 2018)

EU exit and Chemicals Regulation

November 2017

Amongst other lines of evidence, scientific data and expertise will continue to be crucial in enabling the development and implementation of chemicals regulation.

In our briefing paper, we share the learnings from our workshop on EU exit and regulation and describe the next steps for us as we move forward, focusing on the science that underpins regulation.

Briefing and Our Next Steps

EAC Inquiry - Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU referendum

January - October 2017

We submitted comprehensive and informative written and oral evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Commission inquiry into ‘The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum’. We highlight that:

1. The UK needs a clear, simple and enforceable regulatory framework relating to chemicals that balances the needs of research, innovation and trade with protecting citizens, wildlife and the environment;
2. It is critical for the chemicals sector to establish how regulatory decisions will be made in the UK post-EU exit, including how expert scientific input will feed in and how data will continue to be accessed;
3. It is vital that UK scientists continue to work actively and internationally to stay at the forefront of providing sound evidence into chemicals regulation, in the UK and globally.

Explore our evidence:

The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum – Oral Evidence

The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum – Written Submission (Jan 2017)

The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum – Written Submission (Oct 2017)