President von der Leyen puts science centre stage with “Choose Europe” Initiative

European Commission - Announcement President von der Leyen puts science centre stage with “Choose Europe” Initiative Brussels, 5 May 2025 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented today in Paris the main elements of “Choose Europe”, a new policy initiative to ensure Europe continues to be at the forefront of research and attracts the best and brightest scientists around the world. The President presented the plan during a speech at La Sorbonne in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. She described Europe as a place of opportunity for science, with the second highest scientific output in the world, and leader in areas such as green tech and health. She explained Europe's support and openness to science has borne fruit: “Over the last 40 years, the European Union has funded 33 Nobel Prize laureates. European support has made possible breakthroughs in genome sequencing and mRNA vaccines. It spurred the development of cutting-edge microchips, and even led to the first image of a black hole. These examples show what we all know – the return on investment in science is unparalleled.” At the heart of that support has been the EU's Horizon Europe, the largest international research programme. In itself, Horizon Europe is proof of Europe's openness to the world. It brings together scientists from all over Europe and beyond to cooperate and research together. From the UK, to Canada, to Switzerland, to South Korea, many countries are associated to the...