03 Nov 2025
Study analyses freedom of scientific research across the EU
The European Commission has published a study which offers a comprehensive legal, policy, and comparative analysis of the freedom of scientific research across the EU and selected non-EU countries. It examines both the formal (de jure) and practical (de facto) realities shaping researchers’ autonomy, institutional independence, and international collaboration. Highlighting disparities between law and practice, the report identifies political, economic, and institutional pressures that constrain scientific freedom, and provides evidence-based recommendations to strengthen protection, governance, and policy support for open and independent research in Europe and beyond. The report includes a table providing an overview of the regulations and definitions in EU Member States and an overview of key legislation in various countries.