Paris, France – French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday launched a major campaign to attract US-based researchers to Europe, taking direct aim at what they called a growing political hostility toward science under Donald Trump.
Speaking at the “Choose Europe for Science” conference at the Sorbonne University in Paris, von der Leyen unveiled a new €500 million ($567 million) incentive package to position the EU as a global hub for scientific innovation and academic freedom.
“Science is under threat in today’s world,” von der Leyen said, without naming Trump directly. “And that is a gigantic miscalculation.”
Macron was more explicit, denouncing what he called a dangerous shift in US policy. “Nobody imagined that a global democracy so dependent on science would commit such an error,” he said. “We refuse a diktat where governments say you cannot research this or that.”
The EU initiative comes in response to US funding cuts, mass layoffs of federal science staff, and growing fears among foreign students of political reprisal or deportation. Macron declared Europe must become a “sanctuary” for free research.
France has already launched programmes like “Safe Place for Science,” with Aix-Marseille University reporting a surge in applications from US-based scientists. Macron also pledged an additional €100 million to support foreign researchers, including tax incentives and funding of up to 50% for selected projects.
Despite concerns over Europe’s lower researcher salaries, French officials argue that generous social protections, affordable healthcare, and academic freedoms could offset financial gaps.
Target sectors for recruitment include climate, health, biodiversity, AI, and space.
As Macron’s office noted, “Academic freedoms are retreating in too many parts of the world. Europe must be the place where they are protected.”
Written By Kelly Were.
