Europe Offers €500m Incentive to Lure Scientists Amid US Research Cuts

The European Union and France on Monday unveiled a €500 million ($566.6 million) funding package to attract global scientists to Europe, capitalizing on U.S. research funding cuts under President Donald Trump.

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement at the “Choose Europe for Science” event at Sorbonne University in Paris. The package aims to finance research projects and help European universities cover the cost of hosting foreign scientists.

“We call on researchers worldwide to unite and join us,” Macron said. “If you love freedom, come and help us stay free.”

Von der Leyen urged EU member states to commit 3% of their GDP to research and development by 2030. Macron pledged €100 million from France, though it’s unclear if this is separate from the EU’s collective offering.

The move comes amid mounting tensions between the Trump administration and U.S. academic institutions. Trump has frozen federal research funding, revoked international student visas, and targeted elite universities like Harvard, accusing them of promoting what he calls “anti-American” ideologies.

Stanford University historian Robert N. Proctor warned the U.S. is facing a “reverse brain drain” as scientists flee to more supportive environments in Europe, Canada, and Asia.

Meredith Whittaker, president of the encrypted messaging platform Signal, said talent will naturally flow to places where research is protected and nurtured. “Researchers will always be attracted to where they are free, supported, and their work is not distorted,” she said.

Despite optimism, analysts note that European universities typically lack the deep financial resources of their U.S. counterparts, raising questions about whether Europe can sustain this intellectual migration.

France recently launched a “Choose France for Science” platform to streamline funding for foreign researchers, part of a broader push to boost the continent’s global scientific standing.