The two powers have already drawn up a deal that could be signed in the following days, a Whitehall source has confirmed to the PA news agency. 

The UK’s associate membership of the €95bn (£81bn) Horizon Europe programme was foreseen in the 2020 Brexit agreement. However, the EU has been delaying the UK’s membership due to the dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Nonetheless, the signing of the Windsor Protocol in February has seemed to solve the disagreements. 

The new draft would reportedly allow the UK to join the research programme. However, sources have pointed out that the cost of the membership could be a point of contention, and delay or even block negotiations. 

“The EU have moved a little on the money but not nearly as much as the PM wants,” a source told PA.

The government did not deny a draft deal had been written, but a spokesman said: “Talks are ongoing and therefore, we have not yet agreed a deal.”

In addition to Horizon Europe...