The European Commission has scuttled plans to prevent the UK from participating in certain space and supercomputing projects, the Guardian reports.
It adds that Thierry Breton, the EU internal market commissioner, had identified the UK's involvement in the projects as a potential security risk, arguing that the EU had to keep control of its intellectual property. But the move to prevent the UK from participating in the projects led to a backlash from research institutions and member nations. According to the Guardian, diplomats raised concerns the UK was being treated as if it posed as much of a threat to security as China. Following negotiations, the EU determined the exclusion of the UK from certain projects would have to be run past member states, it adds.
"It is still possible for UK entities to be excluded from certain calls, but only based on objective criteria that have been drafted in collaboration with member states," a diplomat tells the Guardian.
As part of its trade deal with the Europe Union, the UK can take part in the Horizon Europe program, so long as it pays into it.