The Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC) has welcomed the European Commission’s intention to significantly boost the ERC budget through the creation of a new funding instrument, offering larger and longer-term grants. This initiative was announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her speech at the “Choose Europe for Science” conference, held at the Sorbonne alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
The proposed “super grants” aim to reinforce Europe’s role as a global hub for scientific excellence. As with existing ERC grants, projects will be selected solely based on scientific merit, and the scheme will remain open to researchers of any nationality who wish to carry out their research at an institution in the EU or in a country associated to Horizon Europe. While operational details are still being developed by the Scientific Council and will be announced in due course, the direction is clear: Europe seeks to offer a more attractive, long-term perspective to outstanding scientists around the world.
Alongside this announcement, the ERC recently decided to double the additional funding available for grantees relocating to Europe. Since its foundation in 2007, the ERC has offered up to €1 million beyond the standard grant amount to researchers moving from outside Europe to establish their teams. Starting in May, this amount will increase to €2 million, further underlining Europe’s commitment to attracting global talent.
President von der Leyen’s speech paid tribute to scientific freedom and collaboration, emphasising that science is a universal and unifying force. Drawing inspiration from Marie Skłodowska-Curie’s legacy, she called for renewed investment in fundamental, open research and outlined the broader “Choose Europe” initiative. This includes stronger support for early-career researchers and streamlined pathways from research to innovation.
