COST funding guaranteed for UK affiliated participants until the end of Horizon 2020 and better clarity for Horizon Europe

Whilst the COST Association regrets the UK leaving the European Union, it respects this decision and welcomes both the entry into force of the Withdrawal Agreement between the European Union and the UK as of 1 February 2020 and the conclusion of a Trade and Cooperation Agreement on 30 December 2020.

Until the end of Horizon 2020 – which for COST will end on 31 October 2021 -, the COST Association will keep funding the UK affiliated participants in all COST activities.

With the adoption of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, UK will participate as an associated country to Horizon Europe. The implementation details of this participation shall be defined in a Protocol implementing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and an Association Agreement in line with the Horizon Europe Regulation.

Those Agreements will pave the way for eligibility of UK affiliated participants in COST Actions under Horizon Europe. Waiting for the conclusion of those agreements which will set certainty on this aspect, the COST Association will continue to attentively follow the developments of Brexit and act in the best interests of the European research and innovation community.