"No Deal"-BREXIT: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

General information about a possible "no-deal"-Brexit can be found here.

Please note
The Brexit has been postponed to 31 October 2019 the latest. In case of an earlier ratification of a withdrawal agreement, the Brexit takes effect on the first day of the month following the ratification. If there is no withdrawal agreement ratified until 22 May 2019, the UK has to hold European elections (23 to 26 May 2019) or otherwise has to leave on 1 June 2019.

A "no-deal"-Brexit may have different consequences for ongoing and future projects depending on the relevant action.

IF – Individual Fellowships

European Fellowships (Standard Panel EF-ST, Career Restart Panel EF-CAR, Society & Enterprise Panel EF-SE, Reintegration Panel EF-RI); Global Fellowships GF

Fellow level

Researchers from the United Kingdom (UK) implementing an IF project in an EU Member State/Associated Country different from the UK (e.g. Austria) will presumably be able to continue to participate in the EF-ST, EF-CAR and EF-SE panels.

In the EF-RI panel and GF, the Fellow must either be a national of an EU Member State/Associated Country or a long-term resident of an EU Member State/Associated Country (i.e. must have resided in an EU Member State/Associated Country for at least 5 successive years).

• Ongoing projects: Since the UK had EU Member State status at the time of submission, it can be assumed that the Fellows will still be eligible for the EF-RI Panel and GF and the projects will continue.
• Future projects: Citizens of the UK would no longer be able to submit applications to the EF-RI Panel and GF as from the date UK's withdrawal takes effect. For long-term residents from UK planning to participate in these panels, the implications of a no-deal scenario are not clear yet.

Host (Organisation) level

EF – European Fellowships (Standard Panel EF-ST, Career Restart Panel EF-CAR, Society & Enterprise Panel EF-SE, Reintegration Panel EF-RI):

The single beneficiary (host organisation) must be located in an EU Member State/Associated Country. Therefore host organisations based in the UK would no longer be possible.

• Ongoing projects: The Fellow would have to find a new host organisation in an EU Member State/Associated Country (with the consent of the EC, a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis). Alternatively, the UK host organisation may continue to finance the project from national funds (see “underwrite guarantee“).
• Future projects: New applications with host organisations located in the UK would no longer be possible as from the date UK's withdrawal takes effect.

GF – Global Fellowships

The single beneficiary must be located in an EU Member State/Associated Country and is also the return host. A partner organisation in a third country must additionally be involved.

• Ongoing projects: Projects with a return host in the UK would no longer be possible as from the date UK's withdrawal takes effect. The Fellow would have to find a new return host organisation in an EU Member State/Associated Country (with the consent of the EC, a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis). Alternatively, the UK host organisation may continue to finance the project from national funds (see “underwrite guarantee“).
• Future projects: Organisations located in the UK would presumably be able to participate in new calls as third country partner organisations (but no longer as beneficiaries).
   

ITN – Innovative Training Networks

European Training Networks ETN, European Joint Doctorates EJD, European Industrial Doctorates EID

At least three independent organisations from three different EU Member States/Associated Countries must participate as beneficiaries in sub-actions ETN and EJD, and at least two independent organisations from two different EU Member States/Associated Countries in EID.

• Ongoing projects: If the minimum requirements are no longer met because a UK organisation leaves the consortium, the consortium would have to either attempt to find a new organisation to again meet the minimum requirements (before this actually occurs), or the project would be terminated by the EC.
   

If the minimum requirements continue to be met, the role of the UK organisation may be transferred to another organisation in the project (where possible), or the UK provides financial support to the young researchers employed there. Both scenarios would have to be coordinated with the EC at project level.

RISE – Research and Innovation Staff Exchange

A RISE project must be composed of at least three independent beneficiaries, of which at least two must be located in an EU Member State/Associated Country (the third beneficiary may, but does not have to be located in a third country).

• Ongoing projects: If the minimum requirements are no longer met because a UK organisation leaves the consortium, the consortium would have to either attempt to find a new organisation to again meet the minimum requirements (before this actually occurs), or the project would be terminated by the EC.
   

If the minimum requirements continue to be met, UK organisations may participate under the same conditions as organisations located in other third countries not listed in Annex A of the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2018-2020 (i.e. without EU funding).

COFUND

Single Beneficiary Action: The beneficiary must be located in an EU Member State/Associated Country. The UK would thus no longer be able to implement COFUND projects, and ongoing projects would have to be terminated by the EC.

• Ongoing projects: Austrian organisations would only be affected if they are involved as partner organisations in UK-coordinated projects or vice versa (UK as partner organisations of AT-coordinated projects). In the former case the project would no longer be eligible. In the latter case the UK may be allowed to act as a secondment host for COFUND Fellowships, but would no longer be allowed to employ Fellows. This would also apply to future projects.
   

NIGHT – European Researchers' Night

The minimum requirement for NIGHT projects is the participation of one beneficiary located in an EU Member State/Associated Country; consortia with several beneficiaries are also possible. Therefore the UK would no longer be able to implement NIGHT projects as from the date UK's withdrawal takes effect.

• Ongoing projects: There may be problems for Austrian organisations which are involved as partner organisations in UK-coordinated projects or vice versa.

 
For questions about immigration/residence (recht@oead.at) and social security/taxes (research_career_eu@ffg.at) please contact the EURAXESS Austria Network.