Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has put Brexit plans on hold by dropping the Article 16 threat due to the Ukraine invasion, in a move that could signal the start of a Brexit U-turn.<\/p>\n
Russian PresidentVladimir Putinsinvasion of Ukraine has forced MsTrussto rethink her negotiations with the bloc.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Secretary has written to the Prime Minister outlining plans that will help prevent a rift with the EU at a time when international unity is paramount due to the ongoing war inUkraine.<\/p>\n
Article 16, one of the key clauses of the UKs Brexit agreement, allows either side to take unilateral action if the protocol is causing serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties.<\/p>\n
Dropping this threat is reportedly seen by Ms Truss as a way to avoid a confrontation with the EU.<\/p>\n
But it could also pave the way for the UK to be admitted to the EU's Horizon Europe programme a move that will cost 15billion over seven years.<\/p>\n
The bloc previously told Britain it could not participate until it resolves the Brexit disputes with the EU.<\/p>\n
Researchers and institutions who were promised they could access the huge 80billion pool of funding and collaborate with European partners were left furious by the decision.<\/p>\n
Ms Truss's letter to Mr Johnson is understood to have set out two possible options.<\/p>\n
The first option is bringing an abrupt end to ongoing negotiations and triggering Article 16 now.<\/p>\n
The other is holding off enacting it and instead deploying an economic stimulus package to help firms that lose out due to the NI Protocol.<\/p>\n
BBC Science Correspondent Jonathan Amos shared how the allocation would be handled on Twitter.<\/p>\n
He said: The Government has now confirmed how the 39.8bn R&D budget for 2022-25 will be allocated.<\/p>\n
Most of this budget was allocated to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which is the Government body that directs research and innovation funding.<\/p>\n
UKRI will receive 25.1 billion during this period, and the body is funded through the science budget of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read the original: <\/p>\n
Brexit LIVE: Red tape capital of Europe! Verhofstadt mocks 'terrified' UK in bitter swipe - Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has put Brexit plans on hold by dropping the Article 16 threat due to the Ukraine invasion, in a move that could signal the start of a Brexit U-turn. Russian PresidentVladimir Putinsinvasion of Ukraine has forced MsTrussto rethink her negotiations with the bloc Continue reading