Government pledges strong research links with EU after Brexit

UK scientists have cautiously welcomed the government’s pledge to maintain close links with European research institutions after Brexit.

A paper from the Department for Exiting the European Union,1 setting out the government’s approach to collaboration in science and innovation as it negotiates its exit from the EU, acknowledges the strong links between UK researchers and those in the rest of the Europe.

It says that the UK will “continue to be involved in major scientific endeavours in Europe and across the world,” building on its “special relationship” with the EU.

After the UK leaves the EU it will no longer be a member of the drugs regulator the European Medicines Agency, which has left many scientists worrying that …