EU Nuclear Research 2021 UK Guidance

by
EnergyUK Post-Exit Guidance Notes [2020]

Guidance

Participating in EU nuclear research from 1 January 2021

How researchers working on civil nuclear fission and fusion will be affected from 1 January 2021.

Published 13 August 2019
Last updated 24 December 2020 — see all updates
From:
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Brexit transition: new rules for 2021

The UK has left the EU. This page tells you the new rules from 1 January 2021.

It will be updated if there’s new information about the UK’s deal with the EU that affects what you need to do.

Get your personalised list of actions and subscribe to email updates to find out when things change.

For current information, read:

The UK left the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) on 31 January 2020.

The UK has reached an agreement with the EU and Euratom to participate from 1 January 2021 in:

  • the Euratom Research and Training (R&T) Programme
  • Fusion for Energy
  • the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, as a Fusion for Energy member

This agreement is subject to ratification of the overall deal and finalisation of the EU’s budget and the Programme regulations.

Euratom Research and Training programme

Awards and consortiums

UK scientists, researchers and businesses will be able to participate in and bid for competitive awards from the Euratom R&T Programme.

UK participants will be able to lead consortia and distribute funding to other participants.

Fusion for Energy and ITER

The UK will remain a member of Fusion for Energy. UK companies can continue to bid for ITER contracts tendered by both Fusion for Energy and the ITER organisation.

UK researchers and staff can continue working at ITER from 1 January 2021.

Joint European Torus (JET)

The UK Atomic Energy Authority will continue to operate the Joint European Torus (JET) until at least October 2021. The UK government will continue to explore options for operation beyond that date.

Published 13 August 2019
Last updated 24 December 2020 

Guidance

UK-Euratom nuclear cooperation agreement – notice

Updated 24 December 2020

Brexit transition: new rules for 2021

The UK has left the EU. This page tells you the new rules from 1 January 2021.

It will be updated if there’s new information about the UK’s deal with the EU that affects what you need to do.

Get your personalised list of actions and subscribe to email updates to find out when things change.

The UK and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) have agreed a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NCA).

This is a separate agreement from the wider UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

An NCA is a commonly used international treaty which gives a legal underpinning to civil nuclear cooperation, and both Euratom and the UK already have such agreements with a number of other countries.

The UK and Euratom are global leaders in supporting responsible practices in civil nuclear, particularly non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. This UK-Euratom NCA sends a clear message to the wider international community, the nuclear sector, and the public that both parties are fully committed to cooperation on civil nuclear, including safeguards, safety, and security. It provides a framework for trade in nuclear materials and technology, facilitates research and development, and enables exchange of information and expertise including on medical radioisotopes.

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