ALLEA Welcomes Provisional EU Agreement on New Genomic Techniques

ALLEA welcomes the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the regulation of plants obtained through New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). The agreement provides a more up-to-date and differentiated framework that reflects scientific advancements in the field and offers clearer conditions for research and innovation in Europe.

This development closely reflects to ALLEA’s long-standing work and positions on sustainable agriculture and food systems, where we have emphasised the importance of evidence-based policymaking and the need to support more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices. New genomic techniques may contribute to these aims by enabling the development of plant characteristics that help reduce environmental pressures or support adaptation to changing climatic conditions.

In our publications on genome editing, ALLEA has highlighted both the scientific potential of these techniques and the need for clarity, proportionate regulation, and transparency, including in relation to intellectual-property aspects. The new framework’s distinction between different categories of NGT plants, as well as its provisions for greater clarity around IP issues, reflect several of these considerations.

As the agreement moves towards formal adoption, ALLEA will continue to follow the process and contribute scientific perspectives to ongoing discussions on how new genomic techniques may support the transition to more sustainable agriculture and food systems in Europe.

 

ALLEA Affirms Solidarity with the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts in Light of the Planned Discontinuation of Structural Funding

The Flemish government has announced its intention to discontinue the structural funding of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (KVAB) as of 2026. In response to this development, KVAB, a long-standing member academy of ALLEA, has released an open letter addressed to the Flemish government outlining the anticipated implications of this decision and requesting its reconsideration.

The open letter sets out the importance of sustained institutional support for independent academies in enabling them to carry out their public missions, including the advancement of scientific excellence, the facilitation of exchange between science and the arts, and the contribution to informed public discourse.

Given these considerations, ALLEA expresses its full solidarity with the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. ALLEA President Paweł Rowiński has signed the open letter, thereby joining the appeal urging the Flemish government to reconsider its funding decision and to preserve the conditions that allow KVAB to continue fulfilling its mission.

ALLEA encourages members of the academic, scientific, artistic and wider societal communities to consult the open letter and consider supporting this initiative.

Read and sign the open letter.

ALLEA Welcomes Joint Proposal by Universities and Research Institutes in Europe: Shared Vision, Unified Voice for FP10 Amendments

On December 1, 2025, leading organisations representing Europe’s research and innovation community presented a coordinated set of amendments to the European Commission’s proposals for the 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). ALLEA welcomes and fully supports this joint initiative.

United by a simple and urgent call, the signatory organisations emphasise the need for Europe to act at the speed and scale the moment demands. The decisions taken in the coming period must demonstrate a clear and ambitious step change in Europe’s capacity to lead globally in cutting-edge research and innovation, accelerating both technological and societal progress underpinned by scientific excellence.

To this end, CESAER, the Coimbra Group, the European University Association (EUA), EU-LIFE, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, the League of European Research Universities (LERU), and the Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN) have released:

● A cover note that provides a concise overview of our shared objectives and key proposals for the future of Horizon Europe (2028-2034).
● A full list of the jointly proposed amendments to the FP10 legal texts.

Together, these organisations represent more than 900 universities and research institutes across Europe. Their message is clear: FP10 must be equipped to strengthen Europe’s capacity to generate excellent research, attract world-leading talent, and translate knowledge into meaningful societal and economic impact. The proposed amendments aim to ensure that the final FP10 legal framework aligns with the needs of the research and innovation community and maximises the programme’s contribution to Europe’s resilience, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity.

ALLEA commends this collective effort and shares the commitment to a strong and ambitious FP10 that reinforces Europe’s scientific leadership.

The next chapter of Horizon Europe presents a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem. ALLEA will continue to advocate for a framework that empowers the scientific community and fully unlocks Europe’s talent and potential.

The ALLEA Science-Policy Standing Committee Holds Its Inaugural Meeting in Berlin

On 24 November 2025, the ALLEA Science-Policy Standing Committee (SC) held its inaugural meeting at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, marking an important step in strengthening ALLEA’s science-policy engagement and fostering collaboration among Europe’s leading academies.

The Committee is ALLEA’s central body guiding engagement in science-policy matters. Established to respond to the dynamically changing European research and innovation landscape, the Committee ensures that ALLEA’s activities remain timely, transparent, and strategically aligned with its mission to foster a scientific culture of inclusivity, responsibility, sustainability, and quality while delivering science-based solutions to the pressing challenges of our time for the benefit of society, therewith reinforcing Europe’s leadership in research and innovation.

The Committee brings together leading experts from across Europe to provide a platform for identifying and addressing key challenges at the interface of science, policy, and society. By coordinating ALLEA’s science-policy work and shaping the development of dedicated Task Forces, the SC strengthens the collective voice of the academies in European research policy debates.

Chaired by Prof. Godelieve Laureys (President of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, KVAB), the inaugural meeting focused on defining the purpose and tasks of the Science-Policy Standing Committee. Participants engaged in breakout group discussions exploring questions such as how to coordinate and monitor Task Forces effectively and how to enhance multilateral cooperation among member academies in a functional and goal-oriented way. They also discussed current ALLEA activities and explored priority areas for European academies over the next three years.

For more information on the Committee and its composition, please click here.

ALLEA Co-Hosted An Academy Executive Round Table on Funding for Cross-Border Collaboration at Falling Walls 2025

On 9 November 2025, the Falling Walls Science House in Berlin hosted an Academy Executive Round Table co-organised by ALLEA, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (BBAW), and the German Union of Academies (Akademienunion). The meeting brought together leaders from European science and humanities academies to discuss funding mechanisms and strategies for cross-border scientific cooperation.

The discussion focused on how European and national funding instruments can best support collaboration between academies, and how Horizon Europe could extend its impact beyond traditional project-based funding. Participants highlighted the need for sustained investment, stronger coordination across the European Research Area, and enhanced support for early-career researchers, including mobility and networking opportunities.

Beyond funding, the round table emphasised the broader role of academies in safeguarding academic freedom, promoting research integrity, fostering interdisciplinarity, and strengthening dialogue between science, policy, and society. The importance of supporting the next generation of researchers and building international networks was also underscored, alongside the value of humanities and social sciences in contextualising research and communicating its societal impact.

The round table was moderated by Prof. Dr. Christoph Markschies, President of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, and attended by ALLEA Vice-President Annette Grüters-Kieslich; Godelieve Laureys, President of the KVAB – Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts; Mark Walport, Vice-President of The Royal Society; Beate Wagner, Managing Director of the Global Young Academy; Joachim von Braun, President of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences; Mircea Dumitru, Vice-President of the Romanian Academy; Marileen Dogterom, President of the KNAW – Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen; and Yadin Dudai, Head of the Science Section at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

The meeting concluded with agreement that strengthening collaboration, supporting researchers, and renewing the role of academies are essential for Europe’s ability to innovate and respond to global scientific and societal challenges.

ALLEA Celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

From 4-5 November, ALLEA participated in an International Conference celebrating the 200th anniversary of one of its most prolific members, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA).

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ALLEA Co-Organises Flagship Conference on Research Security

From 28-30 October, ALLEA co-organised the European Flagship Conference on Research Security in Brussels, together with the European Commission and 11 other partners.

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ALLEA Madame de Staël Prize 2025 – Thank You for Your Nominations! 

The nomination process for the ALLEA Madame de Staël Prize 2025 has concluded.  We would like to thank all ALLEA member academies for nominating their candidates! 

Nominations were received by 30 September 2025. In October and November of the same year, the Prize Jury will evaluate the nominations and select the laureate. The laureate’s name will be announced in December, with a Prize handover ceremony planned for the upcoming ALLEA General Assembly in Warsaw, Poland on 27–28 May 2026. 

The ALLEA Madame de Staël Prize is awarded annually. It is a part of the larger mission of ALLEA to promote the rich and diverse intellectual, scientific, and cultural heritage of Europe. It is awarded to eminent individuals whose work represents a significant contribution to integrity and development of Europe, thereby promoting and strengthening an understanding of Europe as multifaceted, intellectual, open, and vibrant.    

Read more about the Prize here.

 

ALLEA Responds to the Call for Evidence on the ERA Act

ALLEA, representing the European Academies of Sciences and Humanities, welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for an ERA Act as a major step toward a fully integrated single market for research, knowledge, and technology. The Act should build on existing initiatives, legally anchor the 3% R&D investment target, and address persistent disparities across Member States and regions. This requires transparent national plans, measurable milestones, and targeted capacity-building measures for smaller and less-developed regions to strengthen infrastructures, avoid brain drain, and enhance participation in ERA priorities.

The ERA Act must improve framework conditions for researchers by creating stable and attractive career pathways, particularly for early- and mid-career researchers, including portable and flexible funding schemes such as starter and smaller grants. It should harmonise recognition of qualifications, simplify mobility procedures, and institutionalise family-friendly provisions. The Act should also advance Open Science through sustainable and equitable mechanisms, strengthen the resilience of research infrastructures, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in funding while safeguarding the integrity of peer review.

Fundamental values must be at the heart of the ERA Act: academic freedom should be legally anchored, research integrity and ethics promoted (including for emerging technologies such as AI), and equality, diversity, and inclusion systematically strengthened. Excellence-driven, investigator-led research, including the ERC, must be preserved and reinforced. At the same time, the ERA Act should foster responsible openness to global collaboration, ensure proportionate research security, and explicitly integrate the social sciences, humanities, and arts into European research strategies. By embedding these principles, the ERA Act can deliver a truly inclusive, open, and competitive ERA that supports trust in science and benefits society across Europe and beyond.

The ERA Act is a historic opportunity to create an integrated and competitive single market for research and innovation. To succeed, it must: legally anchor investments, align EU and national priorities, improve framework conditions, safeguard fundamental values, ensure inclusivity across disciplines and regions, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.

ALLEA and its Member Academies are ready to contribute expertise and support in shaping and implementing the ERA Act.

Read ALLEA’s full response to the Call for Evidence on the ERA Act here.

ALLEA Joined the Newly Launched International Coalition to Support Ukraine’s Research and Innovation Ecosystem 

An International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine was officially launched in Rome on 11 July during the 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference. The joint initiative by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, UNESCO and the European Commission, marks a significant step in placing science, research and innovation at the heart of Ukraine’s sustainable, inclusive and long-term recovery. 

The launch was announced by the Italian Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini; the Ukrainian First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Yevhen Kudriavets; the European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva; and UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General, Lidia Arthur Brito. 

ALLEA is pleased to announce that it has joined the Coalition, which aims to respond to both the urgent needs and long-term priorities of Ukraine’s research and innovation system. The initiative will promote concrete actions to support Ukrainian scientists, drive reconstruction and modernisation, and reinforce the role of research and innovation in the country’s recovery.  

As the European umbrella organisation representing 60 academies from over 40 countries, ALLEA has consistently advocated for the protection and advancement of scientific cooperation, academic freedom, and the integration of displaced and at-risk researchers. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, ALLEA and its Member Academies have been actively involved in initiatives to support Ukrainian researchers, such as through the partnership with The Breakthrough Prize Foundation, strengthen institutional resilience, and foster international scientific collaboration. 

ALLEA shares the Coalition’s commitment to sustaining and rebuilding Ukraine’s research and innovation system. Furthermore, ALLEA’s broad European network and expertise in science policy can contribute meaningfully to the Coalition’s objectives and advance opportunities for joint actions to: 

  • Support mobility and integration of Ukrainian researchers in European research networks, 
  • Facilitate knowledge exchange and institutional capacity-building, and 
  • Promote the long-term reintegration of Ukrainian science into the European and global research community. 

Membership in the Coalition is open to governments, international organisations, research entities, academic institutions, foundations, development banks and private sector actors actively supporting Ukraine’s research sector. Interested entities are invited to join by agreeing to adhere to the Rome Declaration and submitting a formal request to the Secretariat at EC-R-I-COALITION-UA-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu.