The U.S. Brain Drain and the Opportunity for Europe: What the "Choose Europe for Science" Plan Entails

A new €500 million fund for the 2025–2027 period was announced on May 5th by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen during the “Choose Europe for Science” conference held at the Sorbonne University in Paris.

The fund, to be managed by the European Research Council, is part of a broader plan to boost global competitiveness through innovation, technological and scientific development. It is open to researchers of any nationality, provided they are willing to conduct their research in an EU country. In addition to research funding, the plan includes an increase in relocation support—from €1 million to €2 million—for researchers moving to the European Union, helping them establish specialized laboratories and relocate qualified research teams. Von der Leyen also expressed the goal of reaching 3% of GDP investment in research and development in every EU country by 2030.

Although the increase in research funding was already outlined in the broader “Competitiveness Compass” strategy, the speech at the Sorbonne comes after months of significant shifts in the global research landscape. The United States, the leading country in R&D investment—with spending reaching $761 billion in 2022—has seen a policy reversal under President Trump. The new administration has announced plans to cut federal research funding by up to 25%, slashing spending by 50% at the National Science Foundation and 37% at the National Institutes of Health—two world-leading institutions in medical and scientific advancement. Since taking office, the Trump administration has reduced university funding and curtailed the freedom and independence of the academic and research sectors.

This instability and political polarization have led many U.S.-based researchers to seek alternatives abroad. The EU has responded with an open invitation to attract scientists and highly specialized professionals to contribute to European development. Presenting the “Choose Europe for Science” plan, President von der Leyen made a veiled reference to the U.S. situation, calling the cuts to research and the restriction of academic freedom a “gigantic miscalculation.” French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke after Von der Leyen, was more direct in his remarks on U.S. policy, stating: “No one would have imagined that this great democracy, whose economic development has always been based on free science, would make such a mistake.”

France has been among the strongest proponents of openness toward U.S. researchers. In March, it co-signed a letter with twelve other countries addressed to the EU Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, stressing the urgency of attracting foreign researchers by simplifying bureaucracy and creating streamlined channels for research funding access. Several French universities have also independently invited foreign researchers to join their institutions. Aix-Marseille University launched a program called “Safe Haven for Science,” specifically targeting U.S. researchers, to highlight the freedom and independence of academic research in Europe. Likewise, Germany’s Max Planck Society—one of the world’s leading research institutions—has seen a nearly threefold increase in applications from U.S. citizens since February 2025. However, bureaucratic challenges regarding visas and funding access have prompted German research leaders to call for urgent reforms to accelerate the integration of foreign researchers and promote a “culture of welcome.” France and Germany are among the European countries most likely to benefit from the U.S. brain drain. Germany, one of only five EU nations that meets the 3% of GDP target for R&D investment, is also the European country best positioned to compete with the U.S. and China in scientific and technological innovation.

The European Union's need to boost its global competitiveness—especially in the tech and AI sectors—was already highlighted in the "Draghi Report." According to the report, Europe’s competitiveness hinges on the ability of EU nations to cooperate in closing the innovation and development gap with the U.S. and China. One of the proposed strategies is a common and coordinated approach to research funding. The EU’s renewed push for research investment aligns with a favorable moment created by declining U.S. interest. The EU already funds the world’s largest international research program—Horizon Europe—with a €95.5 billion budget for the 2021–2027 period.

European countries could therefore benefit from the American brain drain through a unified approach, substantial funding, and a research sector capable of attracting talent from abroad. However, competition is growing: China and South Korea have also launched initiatives to attract U.S. researchers leaving the country. South Korea is planning visa reforms for foreign researchers, while China has begun actively recruiting U.S. researchers affected by funding cuts at American universities.

Internal challenges may also hinder the EU's efforts to regain competitiveness in research and development. The Commission’s call for member states to raise national R&D spending to 3% of GDP comes at a time when European countries are already dealing with rising defense expenditures. Although increased investment in defense could, in the long term, benefit from technological advances driven by R&D, it remains difficult to expect a unified response from all 27 EU countries, particularly given the vast differences in research spending among them.

Recent developments in U.S. policy represent both an opportunity and an international challenge for the European Union. The “Choose Europe for Science” initiative signals Europe’s ambition to become a global hub for innovation and close the gap in digital and tech industries. The success of this initiative could have far-reaching consequences for the future and competitiveness of European nations, helping build an innovative Europe capable of defending democratic freedoms in a rapidly changing global context.

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