“Choose Europe,” says Von der Leyen American scientists threatened by Trump’s policies
Ursula von der Leyen has invited American scientists threatened by Donald Trump’s policies to move to the European Union, promising greater financial incentives, longer contracts, less bureaucracy and a legal commitment to respect their freedom of research.
“More than ever, we have to defend science. A science that is universal, shared by all humanity and joins,” said the president of the European Commission on Monday, in a speech delivered at the University of La Sorbonne in Paris.
“We can all agree that science has no passport, gender, ethnicity or political party.”
“We believe that diversity is an asset of humanity and the vital force of science. It is one of the most valuable global goods and must be protected,” he added.
Von der Leyen did not mention Trump by his name, and his spokesman then said that the speech was not “the way science is handled in other countries.”
However, the abundant references to the importance of “free and open” research have left little doubt about their final objective: converting the chaos of America to the opportunity of Europe.
From his return to the White House, Trump has implemented radical cuts in the federal budget that deprived scientific agencies, research institutions and medical centers for thousands of dollars in subsidies, endangering their ability to support crucial studies that require reliable and stable financing. Programs focused on climate change, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and HIV prevention have already been affected.
In a new application, Trump asked Congress for a 37% cut in the expenses of the National Health Institutes (NIH) and more than 50% in the National Science Foundation (NSF), a measure that, according to the Government, was aimed at “reorienting investments” in priority areas, such as AI, energy and nuclear energy, and “finalize scientific expenses without interest.”
These policies have found resistance and have suffered decades of bipartisan consensus, causing warnings that federal courts are so deep that they can endanger the ability of the United States to compete with other important economies.
A recent study of the American University estimated that a 25% drop in I&D public expenses would reduce the country’s GDP by an “comparable amount” to the decrease recorded during the great recession.
At the same time, Trump launched a campaign against elite universities to dismantle their diversity programs, threatening to reduce federal financing and change their tax regimes.
“Unfortunately, the role of science in today’s world is questioned. Investment in fundamental, free and open research is arrested,” said Von der Leyen in Paris.
“What a gigantic calculation error.”
Von der Leyen then presented a new initiative, called “Europe chooses” to attract scientists and researchers from the United States (USA) to the block.
As part of this initiative, the leader of the Community Executive declared that the block will seek to reduce bureaucratic positions, facilitate access to risk capital and offer more long -term contracts and higher subsidies. In addition, the EU will establish a “Super -Supersubside” seven years old and add a financial “complement” to the subsidy of those who choose to move.
ADVERTISINGFreedom of scientific research will be enshrined in the law, he added.
The plan will be based on existing research programs, especially on the euro horizon, for an amount of 93 billion euros, and will include a new fuel of 500 million euros for the 2025-2027 period.
“The first priority is to ensure that science in Europe is still open and free. This is our presentation card,” said Von der Leaden to the audience.
“We have to do everything possible to defend it, now more than ever.”
ADVERTISINGThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, who immediately spoke of following the president of the committee, was much more explicit in his conviction.
“No one could imagine a few years ago that one of the world’s greatest democracies would abolish research programs under the pretext that the word diversity was in this program,” Macron said.
“No one could think that this great democracy in the world, whose economic model is based so strongly on free science and innovation (…) I would make an error of these. But here we are.”
The French leader has rejected any Diktat that allows governments to impose scientists what they may or may not investigate. Macron cited two specific fields: the health of women and climatic action, to which the Trump administration has been directed.
ADVERTISING“Lives are also at risk,” he said. “It is the progress of our humanity that is being worried. It is a moral and human imperative.”
