A new funding boost to research collaboration and a new partnership to further global AI safety are part of measures announced by the UK and France.

The French Minister for higher education and research Sylvie Retailleu is meeting with Secretary of State Michelle Donelan for the first time since the UK reaffirmed their association to Horizon Europe after Brexit.

The two ministers are set to build on the existing links between British and French scientists, researchers, and businesses – which historically has lead to innovations like the Concorde’s supersonic flights and the Channel Tunnel – by endorsing a joint declaration to strengthen UK-French research ties further.

This includes a commitment o £800,000 in new funding towards joint research efforts both the UK and France are already involved in, such as Horizon Europe, to unlock more UK-France joint bits for grants to support research and development.

They will also announce a landmark new partnership between the UK AI Safety Institute and France’s Inria (The National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology), to jointly support the safe and responsible development of AI technology.

This comes ahead of France hosting the next in-person AI Safety Summit later this year, which will build on the historic agreement on frontier AI testing struck between world leaders and businesses at the UK’s world-first Summit, last year.

The French-British joint committee on Science, Technology and Innovation also represents a unique opportunity to bring key influencers from across both countries’ research sectors together, to work on shared and promising opportunities for R&D teamwork across the Channel: from low-carbon hydrogen and space observation, to AI and research security.

It will meet every two years with a view to boosting UK-France scientific cooperation in priority fields such as emerging technologies like AI and quantum.

“The links between the UK and France’s brightest minds are deep and longstanding, from breakthroughs in aerospace to tackling climate change,” UK secretary of state Michelle Donelan said. “It is only right that we support our innovators, to unleash the power of their ideas to create jobs and grow businesses in concert with our closest neighbour on the continent.

“Research is fundamentally collaborative, and alongside our bespoke deal on Horizon Europe, this deepening partnership with France – along with our joint work on AI safety – is another key step in realising the UK’s science superpower ambitions.”

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The UK-France joint declaration is part of the UK’s ongoing campaign to strengthen the UK’s collaboration with colleagues in France, across Europe and beyond through Horizon Europe.

The UK’s continued participation in Horizon Europe was tenuous after its exit from the EU, but after reinforcing its membership, the UK is trying to holdfast its bonds with European researchers.

This push is part of the UK’s efforts to convince European firms and researchers of the opportunities to collaborate with the tens of thousands of UK companies eligible for Horizon Europe grants. The UK is also participating in the Copernicus component of the EU space programme, providing a host of opportunities for our Earth observation sector, researchers, and the public.

Besides AI safety, the agreement looks at joint work on space, hydrogen and research security.

This is the latest in a series of bilateral international science deals the UK has signed recently, which include partnerships with the Republic of Korea, Israel, India, Switzerland and South Africa, as well as recent international digital deals such as the UK-Japan Digital Partnership.