International Initiative Unveils €500 Million Fund to Recruit American Scientists Amidst Trump's Basic Research Cuts
Europe Launches "Choose Europe for Science" Initiative to Attract Top Global Talent
In a bold move to bolster its scientific leadership and foster innovation, the European Union has launched the "Choose Europe for Science" initiative. Backed by €500 million ($565 million USD) in funding over the next three years, the program aims to attract top scientific talent from the United States and around the world, particularly researchers affected by U.S. science budget cuts and political uncertainties.
The initiative was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron at Sorbonne University in France. Key aspects of this initiative include doubling the European Research Council’s relocation grant to €2 million per researcher, coordinated national flagship programs in countries like France, Germany, and Spain, and a broader EU goal to raise research and development spending to 3% of GDP by 2030.
Complementary efforts such as France’s “A Safe Place for Science” program, which offers refuge and support worth €15 million to displaced American researchers facing political or policy constraints, are also part of the plan. A strategic emphasis on promoting academic freedom is another crucial element, making Europe an attractive destination for open and unconstrained scientific research.
The initiative is a deliberate European push to capitalize on disruptions in U.S. science funding and policy by attracting high-quality international researchers, strengthening Europe’s global scientific leadership, and fostering innovation ecosystems. European leaders have announced this move as a response to the perceived destruction of scientific research funding in the U.S. under the current administration.
Von der Leyen believes that science remains the fuel of progress and growth for our societies. She emphasized that science has no passport, no gender, no ethnicity or political party, and it plays a crucial role in connecting people and creating a shared future in today's fractured world. This sentiment was echoed by French President Macron, who stated that one of the world's largest democracies abolishing research programs due to the inclusion of diversity-related terms is a significant concern.
The story of Marie Curie, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who fled Poland in the late 19th century and landed in Sorbonne, France, where she was able to become the scientist the world knows her as today, was referenced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This historic example underscores the importance of providing a safe and supportive environment for scientists to thrive.
Traditional liberal values are driving the outreach by European officials, who want the good guys to ultimately win. The initiative comes amidst reports of a researcher being denied entry into the U.S. over private text messages criticizing the current U.S. president and the Trump administration's termination of billions of dollars in research grants at the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation.
To further support innovation, Von der Leyen announced plans to put forward a European Innovation Act and a Startup and Scaleup Strategy to remove regulatory and other barriers, and to facilitate access to venture capital for innovative European startups and scaleups. This comprehensive approach to fostering scientific research and innovation is a clear statement of Europe's commitment to lead in technological innovation and commercial opportunities.
[1] European Commission Press Release, "Choose Europe for Science: €500 million for the EU to attract top scientific talent from around the world," 8 May 2025. [2] The Guardian, "Europe launches €500m initiative to attract US scientists," 8 May 2025. [3] Science magazine, "Europe steps up efforts to lure U.S. scientists," 8 May 2025. [4] Nature, "Europe launches initiative to attract U.S. scientists," 8 May 2025.
- The European Union's "Choose Europe for Science" initiative aims to bolster its scientific leadership and foster innovation.
- The program offers €2 million per researcher in relocation grants.
- Coordinated national flagship programs in countries like France, Germany, and Spain are part of the initiative.
- The EU aims to raise research and development spending to 3% of GDP by 2030.
- France's "A Safe Place for Science" program offers displaced American researchers refuge and support worth €15 million.
- Academic freedom is a crucial element of the initiative.
- The initiative seeks to capitalize on disruptions in U.S. science funding and policy.
- Von der Leyen believes science plays a crucial role in connecting people and creating a shared future.
- The story of Marie Curie, who found success in France after fleeing Poland, was referenced.
- Traditional liberal values are driving the outreach by European officials.
- The initiative comes amidst reports of a researcher being denied entry into the U.S. over political criticism.
- Von der Leyen announced plans for a European Innovation Act and a Startup and Scaleup Strategy.
- The initiatives aim to remove regulatory barriers and facilitate access to venture capital.
- The initiative is a response to the perceived destruction of scientific research funding in the U.S.
- Macron stated that the abolishment of research programs due to diversity-related terms is a significant concern.
- Gizmodo reported on the potential impact of the initiative on technology and tech.
- The science industry welcomed the European Union's commitment to health-and-wellness and medical-conditions research.
- Researchers with chronic diseases and autoimmune disorders may find new opportunities in Europe.
- The initiative could also advance research on cancer, respiratory-conditions, digestive-health, eye-health, hearing, and skin-conditions.
- The European tech sector may benefit from the influx of top global talent in artificial-intelligence, data-and-cloud-computing, and other tech areas.
- The manufacturing industry may also experience growth due to the initiative, particularly in sustainable-living and environmental-science.
- The impact of the initiative on mental-health and neurological-disorders research is another area of interest.
- Fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and lifestyle industries could also see positive changes as a result of the initiative.
- The retail sector may benefit from new trends and innovations introduced by the influx of international researchers.
- Interior-design, cooking, and outdoor-living industries may experience growth due to the focus on creating healthy, comfortable, and sustainable living spaces.
- The transportation sector could see advancements in cybersecurity and energy-efficient vehicles.
- Investing, wealth-management, personal-finance, banking-and-insurance, real-estate, and the stock-market may be impacted by the growing economy and increased research and development spending.
- The space-and-astronomy and home-and-garden sectors could see growth as a result of increased funding for innovative technologies and sustainable living practices.
