This study provides an in-depth analysis of the freedom of scientific research across the EU and selected non-EU countries, combining legal, policy, and comparative perspectives. It explores how researchers’ autonomy, institutional independence, and international collaboration are shaped both by formal legal frameworks and by everyday realities in practice.
By revealing gaps between law and implementation, the report highlights political, economic, and institutional pressures that can limit scientific freedom. Building on this evidence, it offers concrete, policy-relevant recommendations to strengthen safeguards, governance structures, and support mechanisms for open, independent, and internationally connected research in Europe and beyond.
