EU pledges €500 million for science amid US funding cuts. The European Commission has unveiled a €500 million funding package to boost sci...
 |
| EU pledges €500 million for science amid US funding cuts. |
The move comes as top US research institutions, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), face significant funding cuts and job reductions due to congressional budget disagreements. The EU investment will be funneled through its leading research framework, Horizon Europe, which funds scientific collaborations across borders and disciplines. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday announced a pledge of €500 million ($566 million) in research funding to tempt scientists to move to Europe.
The promise comes as US researchers face funding cuts under President Donald Trump's administration. Several bloc members have already signaled desire to lure disgruntled academics to Europe. Also speaking at the event, French President Emmanuel Macron said the science policies of Donald Trump, who has accused his country's elite universities of pursuing a left-wing ideology and allowing on-campus antisemitism, were a mistake.
"Nobody could have imagined that this great global democracy, whose economic model depends so heavily on free science... was going to commit such an error," he said. "We refuse a diktat consisting of any government being able to say you cannot research this or that."
US research programs are facing closure, tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired and foreign students fear possible deportation for their political views. The French president has already appealed to foreign, notably US, researchers to "choose France."
Macron last month unveiled plans for a funding program to help universities and other research institutes cover the cost of bringing foreign scientists to the country.Aix Marseille University in the south of France in March announced a "Safe Place for Science" scheme that would open its doors to US scientists threatened by cuts.
In early February 2025, the president of Germany's Max Planck Society, Patrick Cramer, reported that applications from the US had at least doubled, and in some cases, even tripled. Institutions in Denmark, Norway and Sweden have also made explicit efforts to attract US academic talent.
As part of the funding initiative, the EU also plans to offer fast-track grants and relocation assistance to scientists affected by budget cuts in countries like the United States. In addition, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program will be expanded to provide additional fellowships for mobile researchers.
EU Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Iliana Ivanova, stated: “The EU is determined to be a beacon for scientific freedom, stability, and opportunity.” Analysts suggest the funding package is not only a response to external cuts but also a strategic step for the EU to strengthen its position as a global leader in science and technology in the coming decade.
