Horizon Europe: UK Participation Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Cunningham of Felling
Main Page: Lord Cunningham of Felling (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Cunningham of Felling's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(1 year, 9 months ago)
Lords ChamberI agree with the noble Lord. There is a limit to how long this period of limbo can go on. We have provided guarantees to researchers, and we are funding them in the meantime. The time is approaching when we will need to make a final decision on this.
My Lords, since the Minister has considerable experience of the European Union and its institutions, why does he think that the European Union is behaving in this remarkably unkind way? Is there some explanation or is it just a question of the EU using this issue to try to succeed in some other way in the negotiations?
I think the Commission has been very clear in intimating that the issue is linked to the Northern Ireland protocol, but, as I have said, this is a separate issue. They are separate legal agreements, and we stand ready to continue the discussions about association, which is part of an agreement we already have with the EU.