We work to share the views and experiences of our community and to understand the current and potential future interactions with Europe in terms of funding and collaboration, mobility and migration and chemicals regulation. The UK has now left the European Union. Please see our Chemistry & EU exit pages for the latest UK government updates.
Also in Research and innovation
UK research and economy policy
Innovation, commercialisation and knowledge exchange
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
We have provided evidence to government on the potential impacts of leaving the European Union on the chemical sciences, within the UK and beyond. You can read our previous work on this policy area in the links below.
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:
Royal Society of Chemistry: The impacts of Horizon Europe uncertainty on UK chemistry
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:
Royal Society of Chemistry recommendations on alternatives to Horizon Europe - July 2020
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:
- 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.
- 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.
Royal Society of Chemistry position on mobility and immigration
Royal Society of Chemistry briefing on the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-21
Policy Survey: Recruitment and immigration/mobility survey
August 2019
This survey aimed to gain insight into the experiences and opinions of the chemical sciences community on the availability of specialist skills and possible changes to the UK immigration system. The goal was to collect information that could guide and inform RSC policy work and be used as evidence in government consultations.
Recruitment and immigraiton/mobility survey summary
Roundtable discussion on talent availability and immigration with SMEs and GO Science
June 2019
We teamed up with the Royal Academy of Engineering to bring together officials from the Government Office for Science and representatives from eight SMEs to discuss the availability of skills and talent, the Immigration White paper and the much-discussed proposed salary threshold. The representatives were from innovative, hi-tech SMEs working to create solutions to some of the society’s biggest challenges, including members of the RSC EnterprisePlus scheme.
Policy note from the Roundtable
An immigration system that works for science and innovation
June 2018
We responded to the House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into an immigration system that works for science and innovation. Our response outlines the mobility needs of those working in the research and innovation community and how an immigration system that supports science must be flexible and welcoming. We draw upon evidence from our own work in hosting scientific conferences to illustrate the international nature of scientific endeavour and highlight the key role that frequent, short-term mobility plays in maintaining and enhancing the UK’s role as a world-leader in science and innovation.
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:
- Set out its plans to ensure HSE has adequate scientific capability to take on increased decision-making responsibilities and act as the national regulator.
- Clarify how the UK will seek to aid harmonisation of its scientific evidence base with the EU in a no deal scenario.
- 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
- 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.
- Effective and continued data sharing: to assist in harmonised decision-making for chemicals regulation.
- 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.
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:
- 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;
- 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;
- 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 – Written Submission (Jan 2017)
The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum – Oral Evidence
The Future of Chemicals Regulation after the EU Referendum – Written Submission (Oct 2017)