Europe seeks to attract US-based scientists with new €500m support package

A €500M RESEARCH package for grants and developing data-sharing networks has been announced by the EU today as it seeks to attract US scientists to Europe.

Speaking in France this morning, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged the two-year funding scheme and welcomed the world’s scientists to Europe in order to boost innovation in the continent.

It comes as US president Donald Trump takes opposing policy measures for American researchers, slashing funding for new medicines and halting grant programmes, which often ideologically differ to his administration, in severe cost-cutting measures.

European ministers, Commission leaders and researchers hope the new regime of grants and access to information will lure disgruntled scientists in the US and in other countries to its shores.

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The European Research Centre will be awarded more funding under the scheme and will be given the ability to issue seven-year grants, including providing remuneration to firms and facilities to relocate within the EU’s borders.

Von der Leyen announced the plan alongside President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today, where the French leader also unveiled similar plans to attract researchers to his country with a renewed focus on medicines and other innovations.

The Commission President said that without science, the EU will not be able to address new global challenges in health, technology and climate change. She added that progress in these areas cannot progress without that research.

She said: “Without the ideas and breakthroughs that come from scientific research, progress sooner or later stagnates.”

Von der Leyen added: “Unfortunately we see today that the role of science in today’s world is questioned. Investment in open, fundamental and free research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation.”

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