The European Commission has decided to halt cooperation with Russian entities in research, science and innovation in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it announced on 4 March.
As a result, the Commission will not conclude any new contracts nor any new agreements with Russian organisations under the European Union’s flagship €95.5 billon research and innovation funding programme, Horizon Europe.
In addition, the Commission is suspending payments to Russian entities under existing contracts.
All ongoing projects, in which Russian research organisations are participating, are being reviewed – both under Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, the previous EU programme for research and innovation.
Since the Commission’s announcement, the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated further, with Russian troops seizing the country’s largest nuclear power plant, and shelling and bombarding a number of cities.
Mariya Gabriel, European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, (pictured) said: “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is an attack on freedom, democracy and self-determination, on which cultural expression, academic and scientific freedom, and scientific cooperation are based.
“As a result, we have decided not to engage into further cooperation projects in research and innovation with Russian entities.”
By contrast, she said the Commission is “strongly committed” to ensuring the continued successful participation of Ukraine in Horizon Europe and Euratom (European Atomic Energy Community) Research and Training programmes.
“Ukrainian scientists and researchers have been key participants in our EU Framework programmes for research and innovation for 20 years and have demonstrated excellence and innovation leadership,” she said.
In a statement on 3 March, Gabriel said she had suspended the preparation of grant agreements for four projects under the Horizon Europe programme that involve five Russian research organisations.
She had also asked officials to suspend any payment to Russian entities under existing contracts.
More information: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20220305125136996