London - (AFP) - Britain has launched legal measures against its exclusion from European scientific research programs, through a mechanism stipulated in the post-Brexit agreement, according to compatible sources Wednesday.

These measures are the first of their kind launched by Britain against the European Union since Brexit.

On Tuesday evening, the British government said in a statement that it had launched a mechanism "provided in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement to resolve disputes between the two parties".

She explained that this action was taken due to "continued delays" in her access to EU science programmes.

Britain indicated that in 2020 it had negotiated access to Horizon Europe, the European Union's research and innovation programme, but the bloc "still refuses to complete" its inclusion in academic programmes.

The research is funded by Horizon Europe, the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the European Earth observation programme, Copernicus.

"The European Union is clearly in breach of our agreement, by its continued attempt to politicize vital scientific cooperation and by its refusal to grant us access to these important programmes," Secretary of State Liz Terrace said in the statement.

The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday morning that it had received a letter from the British government on the matter.

"The Commission acknowledges receipt of the request for consultations from Britain and will follow up on it in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the" post-Brexit agreement, said Commission spokesman Daniel Phiri.

However, the day before, he indicated that this file was without "great difficulties", noting that the trade agreement does not oblige the European Union to involve Britain in these programs.