UK to work with the EU on NUCLEAR research and SPACE TRAVEL after Brexit

The UK will set out examples of where countries outside the still participate in programmes such as

This is its latest paper outlining the Government’s vision for ties with the EU after it leaves the bloc in March 2019.

Britain wants to push Brexit talks forward, moving from negotiations on a divorce settlement to a wider discussion on future ties and has called on the EU to be more flexible, setting out what it calls “future partnership papers”.

EU officials said they cannot discuss the future until “sufficient progress” has been made on three priority areas – the rights of expatriates, Britain’s border with EU state Ireland and a so-called “divorce bill”.

Brexit minister David Davis described continued research cooperation as crucial for creating “a global Britain”.

Davis said in a statement: “A global Britain must be a country that looks to the future. That means being one of the best places in the word for science and innovation.

“This paper sends a clear message to the research and innovation community that we value their work and we feel it is crucial that we maintain collaboration with our European partners after we exit.”

The paper is the fifth to outline the government’s vision for a future partnership and the latest to suggest Britain wants to retain much of its current relationship with the EU while escaping its court and what it calls “huge” payments.

It touches on Britain’s future ties with the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), a body it says it must leave after Brexit. Experts fear the departure could increase costs, delay new nuclear power projects and complicate research.

The government says projects on nuclear research, such as a fusion research facility JET (Joint European Torus) funded by the Euratom Research and Training programme, supports jobs in Britain.

The paper said the country’s space sector is worth over 11.8 billion pounds ($15 billion).

Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “From exploration and developing better and safer medicines, to nuclear fusion research, the UK and Europe have a long history of close collaboration to meet the world’s great challenges.

“It’s in our mutual benefit to maintain this successful partnership, and this paper clearly outlines our desire to have a full and open discussion with the EU to shape our joint future.”