EU doubles funding to welcome researchers from abroad

The additional funds to accommodate the new arrivals are doubled from 1 to 2 million euros. researchers who move to Europe from the US and other non-EU countries. This was announced by the European Research Council , which "in addition to standard grants, offers additional funding" 'to help winners establish their business in Europe.

The funding will apply from 22 May and the ERC intends to maintain it in 2026 and 2027. This is in line with the proposal for an additional budget by the ERC announced by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on 5 May in Paris, at the event 'Choose Europe for Science'. As for those who decide to leave the United States following the new rules established by the Trump administration and who win an ERC call , in addition to the main grant (which can reach 2.5 million euros) they can request up to 2 million euros in addition for a laboratory , a research group in Europe and the equipment necessary for their project.

“The ERC Scientific Council has established this ‘start-up’ grant to try to help US-based researchers in their current situation, but it is of course open to anyone from around the world moving to Europe,” ERC President Maria Leptin said in a statement. “Our objectives – she continued – remain unchanged. Since the beginning, the ERC has offered exciting opportunities to the best scientists, regardless of their nationality , to carry out research in Europe. This goes hand in hand with the European tradition of openness and scientific freedom , and with supporting independent researchers following their scientific curiosity.” The ERC notes that “as in the past, scientific excellence remains the sole evaluation criterion” and that “researchers from outside Europe will compete on the same terms as other applicants.”