The European Parliament (EP) is striving to secure EU budget payments to fund R&D and help farmers in 2020 in the event of a no-deal Brexit — provided the UK shoulders its share of the budget. The measures would assure that EU funds for 2019 and 2020 are fully available to intended recipients if the UK leaves without a deal.

Late last week, the Budget Committee adopted the proposal with 26 votes in favor, 4 against and 3 abstentions. MEPs said the aim is to minimize any negative impact of the UK's withdrawal for beneficiaries of EU funding. A plenary vote is scheduled to take place during the 21-24 October II session in Strasbourg, France.

The draft regulation would extend through next year the contingency plan approved by the parliament in April 2019 that is due to expire at the end of this year. Continued funding would benefit pan-European research collaboration schemes such as Horizon 2020 and the Erasmus student exchange program as well as support agriculture and regional policies.

If it passes, the regulation would enter into force as a matter of urgency and apply from the day following that on which the EU treaties ceased to apply to and in the UK.